Seasons of Magic
by meowmix777
Summary: When a mysterious prince arrives to make peace between nations, Princess Twilight and her students must fend off an ancient evil from Celestia's past to protect not only Celestia's diplomatic relations, but her romantic desires as well.
1. Introduction

Seasons of Magic

Introduction

The Princess watched the horizon. Her eyes searched for a puff of smoke, her ears waited for the sound of steel rolling on the train tracks.

She glanced over to the letter she had received. She read over the tattered parchment; it had been discovered in an elegant jewelry box several months ago.

"To the Equestrian Officials," the letter read, "It would be an honor if you would receive the ambassador of the Sacred Forest, the Great Prince himself, near the time of your Hearth's Warming celebration. The kingdom of the Sacred Forest would like to establish unity between our twin races, the tribes of Equestria and the unicorns of the Forest."

The Princess was baffled by the discovery for a variety of reasons. Someone had actually managed to contact the Princesses in such a strange manner, and from a country she had never even heard of. What seemed most amusing of all was that, for being from such a mysterious place, the letter showed proof of a fair knowledge of Equestria, even being written in its language.

The Princess almost jumped at the sound of her name. A royal guard had appeared beside her.

"Princess Gaia, the train has been checked into the Crystal Station and is heading this way."

"Is he onboard?"

"Affirmative."

The Princess folded up the letter, levitating it to her assistant. "Has Princess Celestia been told?"

"Affirmative, Your Highness."

"Is she ready?"

Of course she was. Nobody was as excited as her. The Princess had tried to convince her that the letter was a joke, to no end. In fact, she seemed to muse about her future encounter with the far-off prince. What would he be like? Would he be handsome? Did he have an accent?

The guard thought for a moment. "Princess, an incident did arise at the Crystal Empire."

She flashed her gaze to him.

"The Prince brought someone else. He claims she is a noble in his land."

She let out a sigh of relief. "That was to be expected."

The guard took a step back. "She claims to already know Luna and Celestia..."

Her ears tipped up. The train whistle blew overhead.

"… And, well, she knew a lot about her. Shining Armor told me to emphasize, a _lot_."

The train edged over the horizon, puffing smoke into the clouds.

***I do not own the rights to MLP: FiM. This was meant to be a roleplaying campaign, but I tranformed the script into a story.. All OC characters may be used freely as long as you report their use to me.***


	2. Meet the Class

Seasons of Magic

Episode 1

"A new class"

Starlit Hour trotted through the halls of the castle. She passed a pair of young guards, each giving her the usual glance. She continued through the hallway, coming to a bend. Her witch's hat blew off her head as she turned into the corner, smashing herself against something. She opened her eyes. It was Ironhooves.

Iron helped Starlit back up. "Sorry about that. You were called, too?"

"Yeah," Starlit grumbled. She levitated her hat into place.

Iron gave a relaxed sigh. "You look upset. Let me guess, the call interrupted magic training?"

Starlit glared into his eyes. He knew her too well. "Well, what were _you_ doing when you were summoned?"

Iron cantered.

"That's what I thought. Come on, let's see what Princess Gaia wants."

The two trotted alongside each other. They passed some of the royal chambers, mostly reserved for noble guests or visitors.

"You know," Iron began to speak, "She doesn't like it when you call her by her regal name."

Starlit ignored him.

"Heh, Princess Gaia Crepuscolo. What a name."

"Don't scoff on it. The name was bestowed upon her. It is her rebirthed identity."

"Rebirthed identity? You need to lay off the lore, babe."

Starlit glared at him.

"Uh… Star. What? Anyways, you don't need to beat yourself with the details. You're not that much of a teacher's pet, are you?"

Starlit kept walking. "Where's Puff?"

"Maybe she wasn't called."

The two neared the end of a grand hallway. A great door stood before them; it was the entrance to the "Administration Department."

Iron signaled to the unicorn guards.

The heavy doors creaked open. As they slid forward, a bright light escaped the room. Starlit sloped her hat over her eyes while they adjusted.

The light emanated off a slender, white alicorn. Her wings were large and mature, and her hair flowed like a stream of colors.

Starlit didn't budge from the doorway. She whispered to herself.

The being looked down upon them. She smiled. "Come in, young ones."

Iron trotted into the room. "Thanks."

"But, you're, you're, Celestia!"

The alicorn giggled. "Don't act too surprise. After all, you have been living in my castle for quite a long time." Celestia motioned towards a seat. "I'd be honored, Starlit Hour."

Starlit took a step towards the seat. Iron was already at the table. "We call her Star, Princess. Hey, can I have some of that tea you're drinking?"

Two delicate cups of tea appeared on the white table when Starlit took her place. Some donuts accompanied Iron's drink.

Starlit produced a small slip of paper from her hat. "Your Highness, if I may ask, why is Princess Gaia not present? Was it not she that summoned us."

Celestia put down her cup. "Who?"

Starlit felt blank. "Princess Gaia? Your highest official?"

"Oh!" Celestia took a new sip. "Her. Yes, she'll arrive shortly." Celestia wiped her lips with a napkin. "Oh, and Star, you can drop the formalities. I'm quite at home here, quite literally."

Starlit took a careful sip from her cup. She still felt uncomfortable at the presence of the Sun Queen, especially with a nagging thought taking root in her mind. She began to realize that, after living at the castle for a little over a year, she had never actually seen Celestia. Luna she avoided, but meeting the High Ruler had never really seemed important to her. Since the rule of Equstria had been divided to the Six Departments, as Gaia called them, Luna and Celestia became more like the wheels behind the curtain, not the forerunners in law and order.

Celestia looked over at Starlit. She refilled her cup. Lost in thought, Starlit barely noticed.

"Dear? Are you all right?"

Starlit looked up. "Your Highness! I'm so sorry. I know I mustn't bring grief to your awareness."

"It's all right, Dear. I know how you feel being here, with me. But don't worry, you don't have to be afraid."

"Afraid?" Starlit shivered. Of course, her thoughts were an open book to the Queen's magic.

Celestia smiled. "Hmm… Princess 'Gaia' might take a while." Her smile turned into a grin. "How about I tell you about when she was a student, like you."

Iron swallowed a donut. "Yeah!"

Starlit reared back a little. Of course, Princess Gaia must have been a student at one point, but she had never dared to think of her that way.

Iron jumped right into the conversation. "Wasn't she supposed to be your favorite student?"

"My favorite? Why, yes. She must have been to have been appointed as my new, personal assistant."

"But then there was the evil one, right? The one that betrayed you?" Iron spoke in a daring voice. "They say that she was going to be crowned the new Princess, but she betrayed you. After all your adventures together, she turned bad. Then, she was exiled to a secret realm, right? Is it all true?"

Starlit frowned. "If it were true, I don't think she would like to be reminded of it, Iron."

"Oh, don't mind, son. It's all behind us now." Celestia turned to Starlit. "Although, your teacher was such a faithful student. I may not be here if it weren't for her."

Starlit felt a surge within her. "Then I'll be there for Gaia, just like she was there for you."

Celestia turned back to her cup. "I'm sure you will."

There was a pause.

"Your Highness," Starlit quivered, "may I ask you a question?"

Celestia gave her a gentle nod.

"Did my teacher ever fail you?"

Celestia hunched over to her. "A lot of people have failed me, even the people whom I've loved the most. But do you know what?"

Starlit connected with her beautiful eyes.

"She made up for all of them."

The floor shook. The table tilted. The cups rolled to the ground.

The three leapt from their positions. Before them was a white unicorn. She had a short, pink mane and deep blue eyes. She had stumbled on one of the seats and lay spread out on the floor, eyes boggling.

A guard burst into the room, followed by another alicorn.

Starlit ran to the alicorn. "Princess Gaia!"

"Who's this?" Iron slowly approached the unicorn.

Celestia glanced over her. She turned to the alicorn. "You followed my orders?"

"Yes, the Prince is waiting at the throne room."

"How does he look?"

"Oh, he's a looker," a giggle burst from behind the guard. It was the Princess's assistant, a small, pink pegasus. Her name was Breezy Summer, but the students called her Puff.

"Hmm," Celestia gave her a playful wink. She trotted to the door, stopping in front of the alicorn. "Remember, I'm planning to throw a big party for the Prince, and, well…"

"What is it?"

"That unicorn… She's not as, well, sophisticated as we are. You see, she's a hermit. I mean, Shining Armor sent me the most disturbing letter."

"Celestia, we can't get rid of her!"

"Oh, that's not what I'm saying! Not at all. No, I had you call your students so they can make sure she's ready for the ball, clean and dressed."

"Really? You called them for that?"

"Of course."

The alicorn motioned to the students. They shook their heads. Together, they began to help the unicorn to her feet.

"Who is she, anyways?" asked Iron.

The alicorn spoke directly. "She refuses to give us her name."

"She doesn't have one," Celestia interrupted, "She simply calls herself 'Unicorn.' Now, how do I look?"

"Beautiful, Princess!" Puff giggled.

"Ecellent." Celestia passed through the doors, but leaned back to say one last thing, "Thank you, Twilight. You know what this means to me."

The alicorn blushed. "You know that anything important to you is important to me, Princess." She turned to her students. "You got the assignment?"

"Yes, Gaia," Starlit reported.

"Don't call me that. You know I hate that name."

"Forgive me, Princess Twilight."

NEXT TIME ON SEASONS OF MAGIC: Unicorn is more of a hassle than expected, especially when it comes to preparations for the prince's feast. Celestia is also caught in a mysterious situation...

***I do not own the rights to MLP: FiM. This was meant to be a roleplaying campaign, but I tranformed the script into a story.. All OC characters may be used freely as long as you report their use to me.***


	3. Foalsitters

Chapter 2

Foulsitters

Twilight was finishing her story. "After the message was received, Celestia decided to try and separate the visitors, to better understand them. I have to help Pinkie Pie with the party, though, so you guys have to help me with, uh, Unicorn."

Breezy hopped onto the table. "Why can't we help with the party! I used to be Pinkie's student, remember?"

"Yes, but you're with me now, and Princess Celestia wants it this way. Any questions before I leave?"

The students shook their heads.

"All right. I'm going to check on the celebration." Twilight left the chamber, passing through the guards and disappearing across the hallway.

The students exchanged glances.

"I guess we're foulsitters now, eh?" Iron smirked, "What's this pony's problem anyway? She dumb or something?"

"Iron! She chose to live an ascetic life, something you may want to consider doing."

"Why's that? So I can trip over tables?"

"So you can stop being a jerk!"

"What's it to you?"

Breezy popped up between the two. "Where's Unicorn?"

The room was barren, except for the furniture and teacups.

Iron looked under the table. "What? Where'd she go?"

"She must have left after you called her a-"

"No, she was gone before that," Breezy remarked, "I noticed after we started talking about parties!"

Iron trotted through the doors. He stood in front of one if the guards. "Hey, you've seen a white pony, shining horn, sorta dumb?"

"You best not be reffering to Queen Celestia!"

"No, no! This one had pink hair… the one Twilight brought in."

One of the other guards leaned in. "Kid, we just started our shift. We haven't seen anything."

By then, the other two had caught up to Iron. Iron shook his head. "Hey, you've got magic. Can't you track her?"

"Not without some sort of signature… I honestly didn't pay too much attention to her to find one."

Iron huffed. "Really? I didn't get out of bed to get scolded- let's go find her!"

Iron galloped down the halls, Starlit and Breezy in pursuit. Occasionally, they stopped to questions a guard. "Have you seen…" "Was there a…" "Did you notice…" Every time, the answer was no.

Frantically, Iron trampled through the last hall of the Administration Wing. He flung through the gates that led to the central section of the castle.

Then he came to a dead halt. Starlit and Breezey crashed behind him.

"What happened? Why'd you stop?"

Iron's ears twitched up. Starlit heard it, too. Breezy couldn't help but smile. A cheerful laugh crossed through a plain doorway.

"I bet you she's hiding in there!" Iron prepared to knock the door down.

"Wait, what if it's a guest? After all, this looks like a plain old bedroom.

"Clever aesthetic…"

"It's _acsetic_."

Another laugh came through the door. This one, though, was deeper.

Iron turned to Starlit. She shrugged. Together, they folded their ears over the door.

Two voices could be heard through the wood. The fist was a familiar, feminine voice.

"So, do you like bananas?"

"In fact, I do." The second voice was clear, precise, and seemed more masculine. "Bananas are more plentiful near my country, at least compared to Equestria."

"Oh, we have a lot of bananas!"

"You don't say. My studies said they were almost nonexistent. Where do you harvest them?"

The first voice giggled. "On the moon!"

Both of them laughed again.

Starlit eyed Iron, confused. Breezy burst out in laughter. "Ha! She said 'on the moon!'"

Starlit shushed her. It was too late, the laughter came to a halt.

"I think someone's listening."

"I'll go check."

Starlit and Iron tried to crane their heads from the door, but it gave way underneath them. They fell to the floor, the shadow of a large pony looming over them. Starlit looked up.

"Students! What are you doing here?" Celestia's face soured.

"We're looking for-"

Starlit put a hoof over Breezy's mouth. "We're looking for… food! Yes. Unicorn requested a certain type of food!"

Celestia zoomed in on her. "Then why didn't you request it? The guards could have brought it for you."

Starlit shivered.

"Because it only comes from Unicorn's planet- uh- country!" Iron blurted out."

"Really?" Celestia took a step back. "Prince, what does your assistant eat that cannot be found in Equestria?"

The other voice took a while to answer. "Many things, Princess. She's probably requesting grass, though. It has a special name, and it may be confusing your servants."

Celestia turned to the students. "There you have it. You interrupted my meeting for a pile of grass. My personal kitchen uses it for seasoning. It's down that hall." She glanced at the ponies. She closed the door.

The students stood silent for a minute.

"What just happened?" Iron scratched his mane while they began walking towards the kitchen.

"Eww! Who eats plain old grass? Like, why not oats?"

"It seems that Celestia was having a meeting with the Prince," Starlit replied, "But it seems to me that they weren't having any serious conversation."

"No duh! She's a princess, he's a prince- they're falling in love!"

"I doubt it, Puff. According to Gaia, I mean Twilight, they just met today."

Iron twisted the kitchen doorknob. It wouldn't open. "Hey, Puff, what's this guy like, anyways? You saw him at the station?" He twisted harder.

"Yeah! I saw him."

"…And..?"

"He's so cute, he almost looks like a mare!"

Iron's hooves slipped. He laughed. "He like a mare?"

"Yeah, he's tall and thin and has hair flopping over his eyes."

A sharp crash broke Iron's chuckles. "What was that?"

"Let's find out." Starlit's horn glowed as she unlocked the door with magic. Iron stood agape.

The kitchen should have been full of cooks preparing for the feast, but it was empty. Another crash sounded near the end of the room.

A blast of magic shone from Starlit's horn, instantly lighting the torched and furnaces.

A large tub tiptoed across the center of the room. It slammed into a table, causing an avalanche of cups and drinks.

Iron thrust his hooves at the tub, uncovering the white unicorn.

"Ah, so she did want grass," Breezy gasped.

"No, she wants to sabotage the party!" Iron tried to pin her down, but she gave an awkward roll to the slide, causing Iron to slam onto the ground.

Starlit produced a hazy bubble around her. The unicorn licked it, and it melted away. The unicorn turned to the door.

Suddenly, the unicorn felt a heavy weight around her neck; Breezy had pounced on her.

The unicorn neighed, prancing frantically. Her horn started to glow, and a strange force began peeling Breezy off.

Breezy began moving faster. In a last attempt to secure herself, she bit the unicorn's horn. A spark flashed, specks flew into the air, and Breezy shot off into a giant cake.

The unicorn fell to the ground, her horn bearing bite marks. She raised herself to her feet, only to find Iron and Starlit at the door.

"Stop!" Iron's voice boomed.

The unicorn's scraggy mane blew back at the sound. She eyed Iron. She eyed Starlit. Her eyes rotated to eye Breezy.

The unicorn floated down to a laying position. Iron snickered to himself.

"Thank you. Now, do you mind explaining what in equestrian you were THINKING!?" Iron blasted the shout in her face.

The unicorn didn't reply.

Starlit let out a deep sigh. "Breezy, you helped Pinkie Pie with pastries before, right? You need to re-bake that cake and re-pour those glasses before anybody notices."

Breezy smiled, running to an apron and chef's hat.

"Iron, Twilight said she left us a dress in unicorn's room. Remember, number 34. Fetch it while I take her to the bathing chambers."

"Star, shouldn't we, you know, punish her?"

"And get ourselves in trouble? Let's just finish our task."

"All right." Iron trotted through the doorway.

Starlit examined the unicorn's fur coat. "What did you spill over yourself? You smell disgusting. Come on, the hour draws near, and you need to be washed and dressed."

Starlit was at the door when Breezy called to her.

"Starlit! Wait!"

Starlit grumbled, returning to Breezy.

"This drink- I can't find anything that smells the same."

Starlit sniffed it. It was foreign to her.

She used her magic to scoop the top layer into a chalice. "Not much left… use that one, it's about the same color. Mop the rest up."

Breezy saluted playfully.

Starlit lead the unicorn to the bath.

Next time, on Seasons of Magic (Quotes from next chapter):

"'May you introduce yourself, Miss?' 'Sea-lest-aia'"

"A cheer sounded as the guest of honor gently glided through the red curtain, like a mighty rock cutting through a waterfall."

"Prince, you say you come from a different world! How can we be sure this is no hoax?"


	4. Banquet Bridge

Chapter 3

"Banquet Bridge"

Starlit struggled to slip the last sock over the unicorn's hoof. "Hold still!" She was finally able to secure it, when the unicorn tilted her head over, bit it, and tore off the fabric.

Starlit fumed. "Why you… uncivilized…ugh!" She used her magic to duplicate one of the other socks. Here eyes danced in her head- the advanced spell made her a little dizzy.

"Take this!" Starlit zapped the unicorn's shoe, turning it into steel. "That ought to stop you from resisting!"

Iron knocked on the door to the unicorn's bedroom. "Can I come in yet?"

Starlit fit the sock in and reversed the spell. "Yes."

Iron trudged in wearing a fancy neckpiece. Breezy was right behind him, wearing a dress. "The ball is about to start," Iron said.

"And then the royal banquet!" Breezy and Iron licked their lips.

Starlit levitated a brush towards her own mane, which had been ruined in the fight. "Well, we're both ready, too. How do we look?"

Starlit was wearing a light, purple gown. Her silver shoes sparkled in the light. The unicorn had been assigned a puffy pink dress with sock-like gloves. And a bridle.

Iron whistled. "Well, there's a star in here all right."

"And a marshmallow!" added Breezy.

Starlit scowled.

Iron held the door open while the mares exited the room, marching towards the Grand Hall.

As they arrived, they could hear music echoing through the hallways. First it was soft, but it soon ballooned to fill their ears, especially with the added noise of chatter and conversation.

Two guards opened the gates that lead into the ballroom.

The Great Hall was decorated in gold and red colors, with a new soft red carpeting placed over the ceiling. Small, golden bells hung from the ceiling, their hammers strung with long, sparkling fabric.

The floor was filled with ponies dressed in their best. They all seemed to be from the capitol city, each carrying on in the traditional way: a sip of drink, a nibble of food, and a lengthy, meaningless conversation.

Two figures didn't seem too involved with the party. The unicorn, of course, was one of them. She went as far as she could from her keepers, obsessively sniffing the appetizers and drinks at the refreshment table.

Being larger than most other partygoers, and producing such a loud _"SNIFF!_" sound with her monstrous nose, she drew a lot of attention.

Starlit tapped her side, trying to get her attention. The unicorn payed no heed, using her long tongue to scoop up some ice cream.

Starlit grew impatient. She pulled her mane, causing the unicorn to turn away from the table.

The unicorn hollered (_Mooed_ would be a more correct term).

Everypony stopped to look. Starlit quickly cast an invisibility spell on herself. The unicorn didn't seem to care. She levitated a pile of mashed potatoes onto a plate and plopped her muzzle onto the substance.

Princess Celestia, who was sitting in a raised stage at the end of the hall, blushed. She motioned to a guard. He called for the ponies' attention.

"Well, everypony, we've been here for quite a while now, so I think it is about time we present the guests of honor!" Celestia's voice was amplified over the room. "As you may have noticed, we have two visitors from a far away land known as the Sacred Forest. The first one is right before us, the Unicorn Keeper of the Sacred Forest. Please come up."

The audience was silent. The unicorn reared her head out of the plate, trotting to the stage. She stepped right up to Celestia's throne, standing right beside her. The crowd gasped. Two guards started to approach her.

Celestia dismissed them. "It's all right, these people are obviously not accustomed to our traditions. A long as these ambassadors are here, I will treat them as equals." She glared at the unicorn. "May you introduce yourself, Miss?"

The unicorn fixed her large blue eyes on Celestia. Her mouth opened. Her voice was soft and slow, barely audible yet clearly understood. It had a high pitch, like the voice a stuffed toy might have.

"Sea-lest-aia…" She mumbled.

Starlit undid her spell. The princess looked stunned. "Excuse me?"

"Sea-lest-yeah…"

The princess studdered. "Yes, my name is Celestia." She turned to the audience. "Forgive me, she has mentioned previously that she isn't too comfortable giving her name."

A rash laughter surged from the crowd. Celestia's appearance became more confident. "Now, let me introduce the guest of honor. I'm proud to present, the magnificent ruler of the Sacred Forest, Prince Drain!"

The unicorn stepped down as the curtains behind her began to part.

Applejack appeared, holding a flag with her cutie mark on it- the symbol of the Agriculture Department. Next in line came more familiar faces, Fluttershy with her banner for the Department of Conservation, Pinkie Pie for the Department of Energy, Rarity's banner for Arts and Commerce, and even General Rainbow Dash's banner for the Equestrian Army. Finally, Princess Twilight appeared amidst a barrage of music, holding both the banner of the Administration Department and the Celestial Sister flag, which was placed in the center of the stage.

The Unicorn appeared, stepping through the red curtain, holding a long, narrow flag. She placed it besides the flag of Equestria.

The music came to a final swell. The audience took a deep breath.

A cheer sounded as the guest of honor gently glided through the red curtain, like a mighty rock cutting through a waterfall.

The prince had a green coat, with a dark green mane. His mane had a texture of shades, almost turning black at the tips. The mane itself was neatly combed and cut, having long bangs hang over one side of his face, and narrowing down near the end of his neck.

The Prince was probably the largest horse anypony had ever seen. Slightly taller than Celestia, he stood proud and majestic. Indeed, he was thin and elegant. His hooves seemed to end in a perfect point, creating the illusion that he floated over the ground. His ears were long and pointed, and his eyes were gentle and narrow. Although he had no wings, his horn was high and slender, like a fencer's foil.

His piercing red eyes matched the color of the cape he wore. It was woven of fine material, and hugged his neck, held up with a golden button with a rich red jewel in the center.

The prince stood at the right side of his flag, and Celestia took her place on the left side of hers. The two looked into each other's eyes, smiling.

Princess Luna now stood at the corner of the stage. "Mares and gentlecolts, Prince Drain has arrived from the Sacred Forest, a land unknown to most ponies, to establish good relations between our two nations. Prince Drain, will you share a few words?"

The Prince stood erect, smiling at the crowd. "Thank you. My name is Drain, and I am the Prince of the Sacred Woods. Don't bother looking for it on a map- you won't find it."

The crowd giggled.

"The Sacred Forest is not of this world," continued the Prince, "Yet, our ancestors discovered each other in the ancient past, establishing communion with each other for eons. In manuscripts left behind from that time, my people called you the 'Twin Race.'" The prince looked towards Celestia. "I did not imagine your kind would be so fair." He paused, then turned towards the crowd.

The ponies surged towards the stage, desperate to hear more and ask questions. Luna opened the floor to discussion.

"Prince Drain, how did you reconnect to Equestria?"

"Your kind left many magic mirrors behind. It was just a matter of finding the right spell to activate them."

"Prince Drain, is the Sacred Forest like here?"

"It is completely different. I would not advise you visit there. It is a much more dangerous place compared to here."

"Drain, you say you come from a different world! How can we be sure this is no hoax?"

There was a sudden silence. The princesses glared at the reporter who had asked the question.

The prince was very relaxed. He motioned towards the unicorn. Her horn began to glow. The stage shook as a light aura appeared, materializing what seemed to be a great chest.

Drain used his own magic to open it. "Sir, the sign of true royalty is but in their blood. Still, I will prove my benign motive by presenting each of the Princesses with part of the abundance of the Sacred Forest." He levitated streams of rich garments, gold and silver treasures, and jeweled amulets. He also presented a wealth of strange spices and herbs, along with cages with live animals, all of which were unknown to the ponies.

"In my research, I only knew of two eternal Princesses, but it appears that there are nine. My apologies- you will have to divide my gifts among yourselves."

"That won't be a problem," Applejack eyed the herbs.

Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy stared at the animals. Rainbow Dash couldn't help but gawk at a set of golden armor. Rarity shivered at the sight of the many fine dresses.

The prince bowed low, inviting them to inspect the offering. The ponies went right into the pile, holding items and calling dibs.

Celestia didn't move from her spot. An eerie look crossed her face. "There is no doubt," she whispered, was almost out of breath, "that you are the Magnificent Prince Drain."

Next Time on Seasons of Magic (Quotes from next chapter): Next chapter is a two part episode!

"'Her condition is very similar to… poisoning.'"

"Her mane was covered in dark green vomit, her sharp movements had torn holes into her blanket."

"'The dragon? The keeper of the castle?'"


	5. Toxic Twilight, Part One

Chapter 4

"Toxic Twilight, Part One"

Starlit was late to spell practice. Iron and Breezy were probably already there, but Starlit had overslept. What a shame! And it was all because she kept having nightmares; they were about the unicorn wrecking her future graduation. Eating her diploma like a carrot- Starlit kept waking up in cold sweat.

She turned the corner, almost scraping herself on the walls. She came to a sudden halt when she saw her friends standing at the door to the Princess's chamber. Iron was unusually mellow, and even Breezy had a shadow over her face. Starlit heard a moan coming from inside room.

Iron took a few steps towards Starlit. He spoke in a gentle voice. "You can't go in there."

Starlit gave him a blank look. "What's wrong?"

A brown earth pony walkout out the doors. He wore a white coat and spectacles. He looked at Iron. "Thanks for waiting outside."

Iron's hooved shook. "How is she?"

The doctor fixed his glasses. "Well, to tell you the truth, I've never seen anything quite like it, although…"

Iron stared eagerly.

"… There is one thing very similar to her condition."

"What is it?"

"I think it would be best for me to have this conversation with the other-"

"She's a mother to me!" Iron broke in.

A pause.

"Her condition is very similar to… poisoning."

Tension built in Iron's throat.

"She has additional symptoms, though. For example, she cannot cast magic. She is also immune to it. A nurse is in there now, trying to cast healing spells, to no effect."

"Let me see her!"

"When she sent for me, she told me not to let anybody else in. There is only one exception, which I assume is her personal physician."

"Who's the exception? Maybe he'll let me in."

The doctor searched his memory. "A mare named Starlit Hour."

Iron turned to Starlit. His face darkened. "Her? Why not the rest of her students?"

"I do not know, young man. It was her highness's request that Starlit Hour be presented to her as soon as she is ready." He motioned towards Starlit. "I guess it's you, then? Do you wish to see her?"

Starlit inched her head into a fragile nod.

"Let me go with you, Star."

"Iron," she gulped, "There must be a reason."

Starlit entered the room. The walls were dark, the windows covered. The only source of light was the nurse's magic. Sweat trailed down her forehead.

"Hey," Starlit whispered to the nurse, "I think you can go back to the doctor."

The nurse agreed. She left the room.

Starlit approached the princess's bed. "Ga- Twilight?"

The form under the sheets rustled. Starlit caught a glimpse of Twilight's face, marked with blue bags and sweat. "Starlit… I knew you would come."

"What's wrong, teacher?"

"My dear…" Twilight sniffled, "I need to tell you something…"

Starlit leaned towards the feeble voice. "I need you to find a cure. Cough! That's you assignment for today…"

Starlit pressed her nose against Twilight. "Yes! But, what's wrong? What do you feel?"

Twilight rolled over. The signaled for Starlit to get closer. "I didn't tell the doctor… I didn't want to alarm anybody."

Starlit's ears perked up.

* * *

><p>Iron, Breezy, and Starlit trotted through the crowded street. They were outside the castle, where many vendors grouped up to rip tourists off.<p>

"I know a good pharmacists who might have that potion," continued Iron. "I'll admit, he's sort of a shady guy, but I've never found anything of higher quality. Heck, I've even seen Rainbow's students here after their training sessions!"

"Ouch!" Breezy galloped, trying to capture the city in its entirety. Being so young, she rarely got to venture outside the castle.

The students approached a worn out shack with a hay roof. Iron rung a bell hanging above the main window. A white, scraggly unicorn with yellow hair peered his head out. "I'm a little busy, so make it quick!"

Iron scoffed. "Quite a way to treat an old friend, huh?"

"Very funny, champ. What can I do ya for?"

Starlit stepped up. "Princess Gaia has a… very bad case of worms."

"Worms, eh? A princess? Strange. Ya hear that, kid? Looks like you got here just in time for the tenth wonder of the world."

"What may that be?" a familiar voice rang from within the store.

"This filly over here says that Gaia's got worms! The Administration department herself!" He laughed. "You met her last night, eh? She look like street trash to ya? I mean, fer gettin' worms?"

The voice sounded closer. "Certainly not. I'd advise you to hold your tongue in these matters." The speaker came to the window. Starlit almost fell over.

"Prince Drain!" Breezy gasped, "What are you doing here?"

The prince smiled. "Some of the food made me nauseous. Take no offense, I'm just not accustomed to your diet." He eyed Starlit. "So, your teacher is ill? I am very sorry to hear that. Why has she not turned to healers at this point?"

Breezy answered for her. "The doctor's magic didn't work on her!"

"So you say? Well, in that case, I'd doubt the illness is worms, no?" He returned his gaze to Starlit. His eyes fixed upon hers.

"We just came for some Everfree Atropa." Starlit turned away from Drain's gaze.

The storekeeper smirked. "What? A little strong for worms, no?"

"We are prepared to pay for it."

"Sure you are. Let me go 'round back." The storekeeper disappeared into the shack.

Drain exited the shack through the employee door. "Nice person. The General recommended this shop." He began to trot down the road. He stopped in from of Starlit.

"Starlit, what a nice name."

"Excuse me?"

Drain smiled. "Twilight told me all about you yesterday." He turned to look at Iron, and then returned to Starlit. He motioned for her to take a few steps. She did.

"I know."

Starlit looked up. There was something about Drain that she didn't like. Something that she didn't want to accept. His gaze fell over her like a blanket, comforting her. His voice kissed her. He had a fatherly presence about him that made her want to-

She felt a blast of emotion escape from within her. "What am I supposed to do? Prince, what's wrong with her?"

"She already told you."

"I know! But still… I… I…"

Drain pressed her to his cape. "Tell me, child; I want to help."

Starlit's sadness escaped. A frown formed on her face. "I… I… Who did this to her?" She pressed herself against Drain's shoulder. "Who did this to her! I want to know!"

Drain lowered his head to her. He whispered into her ear. Starlit clenched her teeth. She was on the verge of wailing. She felt like she could cry, and Drain would understand.

"Order up!" The storekeeper's voice ripped through the air. Starlit heard the jingle of coins. Iron was paying the storekeeper.

Starlit pushed herself away from the Prince. The air felt cold in comparison to his warm body.

"I have to go."

"I understand," Drain's voice soothed. "Good luck."

Starlit looked over her shoulder as she followed Iron back to the castle.

"Thanks da-" Starlit bit her lips. "Thank you, Prince!"

Drain smiled.

* * *

><p>The princess heaved. Iron and Starlit tried his best to hold her still. Twilight flailed this way and that, unable to control her actions. Her mane was covered in dark green vomit, her sharp movements had torn holes into her blanket.<p>

Breezy shook in the corner. She covered her ears. "Make it stop!" she wailed.

Twilight began to choke. A bulge swelled in her neck. Starlit rushed to massage the obstruction. Twilight gave one last heave- the Everfree Atropa hurled out of her mouth in small, dark pieces.

"It didn't work!"

"I can see that, Iron!" Starlit took a step away and tried to rub off some of the liquid. "Iron, I can't do it alone!"

Iron relaxed as Twilight began to lay still. "We need stronger medicine."

Starlit shook her head.

"Then What? You've got a better idea?"

Starlit bolted through the door. She raced past the guest rooms, past the Administration offices, past the Great Hall, and up a flight of stairs. She almost slipped on the steps, her hooves still slippery with sludge.

The whisper stung in her mind. She kept running. She shoved past a set of guards. Drain's voice compelled her to keep going.

By mere reaction, she shot a paralyzing beam from her horn, stunning the two guards that guarded the huge door. The whisper roared over the crowd of guards that had begun to follow her.

She slammed through the gates and into a large, circular chamber. In unison with Drain's whisper, she yelled the one word.

The other five princesses were in the meeting room. All of them, except Pinkie Pie, who was slamming the table and trying to look official, were chattering about the same trivial subject. "Y'all notice how tall he was? I recon he must be an amazin' apple bucker!" "Don't mind that! I bet you he has legions of soldiers at his command! He probably KILLED somepony with that horn!" "Maybe he's too nice for that? I mean, he did seem to care about those, uh, animals." "If I were a princess, I'd certainly drive to catch _his _attention! Oh wait, I am! He's such a darling!"

"HARMONY!" Starlit's cry shrieked through the room.

The administrators snapped their attention to Starlit.

"Starlit? What are ya doing here?"

"Twilight is dying! She's ill! She tasted a drink that had been brought from his kingdom. All of you were supposed to drink it at the ceremony, but Twilight tasted it and cast it out! Now she's dying because of it, and you're here fantasizing! You probably didn't even notice she was missing!"

The others lost their words.

"Have you given her some medicine?"

"She immune to magic, and she rejected the strongest remedy we have."

"Well, what do you want us to do?"

"The Prince! He whispered into my ear… He said, 'Harmony.'"

Applejack lept to her feet. "The Elements of Harmony! That means us! Come on, girls!"

The others galloped out the door. Fluttershy stayed behind.

"Maybe you should stay here for a bit, Starlit. You look tired."

"I have to go."

Fluttershy paused. "I think Twilight might feel better if you brought her friend. You know, the royal beast?"

"The dragon? The keeper of the castle?"

"Exactly! He won't mind if you invite him. You can go while I catch up to the rest."

Starlit nodded. The two left their separate ways.

NEXT TIME on SEASONS of MAGIC- Catch Part Two of this episode!


	6. Toxic Twilight- Part Two

Chapter 5

"Toxic Twilight, Part Two"

Starlit Admitted it- she was scared of Spike. Sure, she had seen pictures of him when he was young, but now he was almost a full-grown dragon, and the fact that the princesses used him as a watchdog didn't help his reputation much.

Starlit creeped into the Chamber of Gold, also known as the treasury. Even from the doorway, she could smell the foul stench of the beast.

The dragon's eyes met her right away. "Starlit! Long time no see! How is it, man?"

Starlit gulped. "It's… going."

Starlit shrieked as a scaly hand reached for her and lifted her off the ground. Spike placed her on his shoulder. He craned his head over to her. "So, to what do I owe the visit?"

"Twilight is… sick," Starlit trembled. Her stomach braced itself as she looked down at the floor. "Fluttershy wanted me to see if you want to visit her."

Spike rolled over. Starlit clung to his shoulder. "Of course I want to! But, well, it depends."

"On what?"

Spike stretched his arms out. "If I'll fit." He gave a small chuckle.

Starlit almost sighed in relief. She pictured Spike in the small room. Twilight wanted a modest room, and although it was a generous size, her bookshelves took a fair share of space.

"Well, Twilight is in her room. Bedridden. Do you think you'll fit?"

Spike frowned. "No." A sliver of green smoke blew from between his teeth. "Oh well. The good thing's that I'll have all her get well cards later."

"Postmaster Spike, huh?" Starlit usually overlooked that role. She quivered as Spike plopped her back to the ground.

"Tell you what, though," Spike opened a large chest and pulled out a large cake. "I've been saving it, but... Tell her it's from both of us."

Starlit tried to balance it on her flank. She nodded to Spike, taking a wobbly step.

Spike saluted back.

br /

Drain snorted at the unicorn. "It was on her mind. I read it. I know you were there."

The unicorn stared back emptily.

"Now I'll have to settle things straight, you know. Especially for that poor girl. You know what she said to me?"

The unicorn gave a slight shrug.

"Such a sweet child, and she said that her greatest desire was to know who did this to her teacher. She wanted to know. She wanted revenge."

Drain knew he was talking to a wall. He levitated his cape over his back. "I'm going to see the Princess. Are you coming?"

br /

Starlit was anxious to see how Twilight was doing. Had the princesses figured out a way to save her? Still, she couldn't advance more than a snail's pace with the cake on her back, and she wanted to conserve her magic in case the princesses needed her.

At last, she was at the door. Starlit finally levitated the cake in front of her, simultaneously opening the door before her.

Starlit closed the door behind her. The room was still dark and crowded. Starlit couldn't make anything out, except for a small area that was lit by a candle.

Twilight had been placed up against the headboard, probably to prevent her from choking. Rainbow Dash was pushing air onto her face in an effort to fight her fever. Applejack nervously offered her a bite to eat.

The group turned to Starlit at tap of the closing door. Twilight looked up, weakly. "Starlit. You're back."

"How are you feeling?"

"A little better. Now that my friends are here, I…" She coughed.

Iron tapped Starlit on the shoulder. He led her to Fluttershy, who was sitting in a corner.

"Starlit," she whispered, "Twilight's gotten a little better, but only because she's glad to see us. We tried connecting ourselves, but…"

"…The elements didn't work." Starlit finished the sentence. Fluttershy nodded.

Solemnly, Starlit paced to the center of the room. She stood in front of Twilight's bed.

"Spike sent you this cake."

Twilight tried to smile. "Bring it here."

Starlit took a step towards the bed. She didn't see Pinkie's hoof in the dark. She stumbled, releasing the cake from her magic grip.

In a second, Starlit found herself smashing her head against the footboard. The cake broke her fall. Ashamed, she wiped off the icing from her face. She wanted to cry.

But Twilight chuckled.

Starlit looked up at her teacher, ashamed.

Twilight kept laughing. Breezy joined in. Pinkie Pie couldn't help but point. Starlit turned to the door.

"Wait!" Twilight called, "I'm so sorry, it's-" She gasped.

Breezy jumped up on Twilight's bed. "You spoke! The laughter- laughter is the best medicine!"

Twilight kept laughing. Breezy started blasting off jokes as her former teacher made funny faces.

Soon enough, despair had been evacuated from the room. The princesses reminded each other of their past adventures, exchanging cackles and hoots.

Pinkie Pie scooped up the cake and did her best to put it on plates. The ponies had even more fun now, smearing it across their faces and making all sorts of noise.

Rarity approached Starlit. "Who knew, huh? What's your name?"

"Starlit."

"Excellent work, Starlit. So that's what you meant when you came in yelling 'harmony!'"

"Well, it was the Prince."

"Indeed, it was." Drain appeared at the entrance. The unicorn was at his side. "Harmony. The element of laughter is a safeguard. It ends arguments, lifts the heart, and apparently, heals the sick. I came to offer to care for Twilight, but it seems she's well now."

"How kind of you," Twilight gave a slight bow. Her head swayed. She plopped back against the headboard. "Woops! I think I might have to stay in bed a little while more!"

"Indeed you may." Drain laughed. The rest joined in.

Starlit focused her eyes at the light of the open door. She glared at the unicorn. "You!"

Without a second thought, she charged at her. Her horn penetrated the unicorn's shoulder. She stepped back in pain.

"You were in the kitchen! I know you put it there! I don't know why, but I know you did! Or you did something to it!"

"Hold your hooves, Starlit!" Applejack embraced Starlit. "What in tarnation are ya talkin' about?"

"That unicorn, she did something to the drink! Twilight told me she tasted a ceremonial drink right before the party! I know it was her because I bathed her, and I wiped that putrid stuff off her filthy hooves!"

The unicorn began to tear up. She backed out of the room.

Drain took a deep breath. "Starlit, I know you're upset. I agree, I told my servant to place the drink on the menu, but it is not her fault it made your teacher ill."

"It must have been!" Starlit struggled to get out of Applejack's hold.

"We didn't know that it would have such a negative effect on your kind. Especially after Celestia asked me if I had brought any for her."

The entire room beamed to Drain.

"In fact, she noticed that it had been omitted from the banner ceremony, and she asked for it during the party. There was only enough for us two."

Rainbow Dash scoffed. "Celestia drank that stuff? And she didn't get sick? That doesn't add up."

Drain stood straight. His face was honest. "She asked if I had brought any with me. Her plan was to have you all drink of it after the presentation of flags as a symbol of union. She said she's drank it before."

A pause.

Starlit stopped struggling. Questions and wonder hung over the room.

"I don't know what any of this means, but let's celebrate that Twilight is better now!" Breezy chanted.

"I agree," Iron clanked his hooves together.

The princesses shook their heads and gathered around Twilight. Drain was excused to treat the unicorn. Starlit watched her as she left.


	7. Prince and Princess

Filler Episode

"Prince and Princess"

Boy, Seasons of Magic took a dark turn in the last two chapters! Although we started off with a lighthearted tale, it now seems that we have a new mystery on our hands- was Twilight poisoned, or was it an actual accident? What did Drain mean when Celestia had drank it before? We might never know…

This episode was never really planned to be in the story, but I feel that it would be nice to take a break from the sudden surge of pain. So, I present some extra insight into the world of Seasons by giving you a peek of an ordinary day with the Princesses and Prince Drain.

The Princesses were huddled in the royal courtyard. It was the end of the long winter, and the first day of spring had arrived.

Twilight has in a mobile bed, standing upright. The princesses thought it would be a good idea to let her get some sunlight. Starlit was in charge of pushing her around.

Unfortunately, Twilight's mobility did stop her from catching up with her friends, but it didn't matter. She was asleep most of the day, anyway.

The other princesses were frolicking about, each doing their favorite summer activity. General Dash swept through the skies, Applejack made fritters in an outdoor stove, and Pinkie Pie continued her usual spontaneity. They didn't admit it, but they were trying to prepare.

The princesses had invited Princesses Celestia and Luna, in addition to Prince Drain, to their gathering. Because of the recent accident, the unicorn wasn't invited. Drain said she hated parties, so it worked out.

Prince Drain slipped into the courtyard, unnoticed. He sniffed the air, smiling to himself as he tried to follow a delicious scent.

"Those cakes smell great!"

Applejack's hoof slipped onto the stovetop making a little _singe_ sound. "Prince Drain! Excuse me, I didn't hear ya comin'!"

"Don't fret." Drain took a deep breath. "Ah! It's such a beautiful day. Do you mind?"

"Help yourself, Prince."

Drain levitated an apple fritter and took a nibble. "Divine! You're quite the chef."

Applejack blushed. "You're just sayin' that!"

The prince dropped a fritter to the ground. Pinkie Pie had tackled him.

"If you think THOSE are good, taste THIS!" Pinkie led prince by the hoof. She dragged him to a large blue cannon. "Open wide!"

She pulled a string at the end of the cannon, and a large, sloppy pie smashed into the Prince's face. Frosting dipped down his nose, covering his head like a mask.

Pinkie laughed. "Is that how you eat a cake, or is that how you eat a cake?"

Drain produced a napkin and wiped his face off, revealing a frown. "I must admit, this is not my preferred method of intake."

"I'm not sure but that means, but YAY!" Pinkie Pie rushed over to stack of cakes. Gleefully, she started to unpack another one.

The prince started to walk away. He looked back to make sure Pinkie didn't see him. He bumped into someone.

"Excuse me, Princess," Drain's voice trailed off as he saw a large, serpentine body before him. The creature had the head of a mule with two mismatched horns and a strange assortment of limbs.

The prince took a step back. "Why, you're… Chaos."

Discord pulled a monocle from this air, and began examining the prince. "Why yes, I am. Although most people call me by my name, mind you."

Drain's tongue rubbed off the name. "Discord? How are you free? You're a demon!"

"Demon! Well, I wouldn't use that word…" Discord swayed in his dramatic manner. "Although you are on the right track. I'm reformed, Prince. That means that anything you read in your little books is all in the past." Discord summoned a little journal, only to toss it into a sudden burst of flame. "So, how about we reintroduce ourselves? Hello, my name is Discord. Who may you be?"

The Prince scowled. "Haven't you heard?"

"Not with that mind blocking spell you have on yourself! Can't read you, can't track you, what's all that about?"

"It's for my own protection."

"You don't say, Prince… what was it again? Prince Sink?"

"Drain."

"Good," Discord stroke a pose. He imitated the prince's voice. "Then I suppose we won't have any trouble?"

Drain heard something from behind him. "Someone is calling me." He turned away from Discord.

Rarity and Rainbow Dash were waiting for Drain. Rainbow Dash gave a strong wing flap when he arrived.

"Drain, the stallion of the hour!" She taunted, "What do you say me and you have a little race? You're legs look like they can carry you."

Drain looked amused. "Why not." He took a few lazy steps towards a staring line Rainbow had drawn.

"Count it, Rarity!" Rainbow Dash was confident.

"One…"

The prince bowed his head.

"Two…"

Rainbow Dash ruffled her feathers.

"Three!"

Rainbow Dash threw herself into the wind. She stretched her legs in front of her, pushing herself into the wind- but felt herself bounce on the ground.

Rainbow Dash tried to flap her wings, but she couldn't feel them. She didn't have them!

Drain laughed heartily. Rarity giggled. He hadn't moved from the starting line.

"My wings! Drain! Give them back! How am I supposed to race without wings?"

"You thought I would let you beat me with an unfair playing field? Rainbow Dash, you must humble your confidence," Drain teased.

"He's right, you know," added Rarity, "Come now, Prince, let's not waste our time with such _primal_ competition."

"Well spoken, my dear." The two began trotted away.

Rainbow Dash felt a sudden warmth on her shoulders as her wings reappeared. "That jerk!" Rainbow Dash mused, "How'd he do that? I didn't even feel it!"

Rarity led the prince to a small brook. The bank was furnished with a small, ivory table that overlooked a bridge.

Rarity used her magic to open the sun umbrella in the middle of the table.

"This is a nice place."

"Yes, I designed it myself."

"You did? Excellent work!"

Drain approached the brook. He looked at his reflection in the water. After a minute, he lowered his head to take a drink.

Drain raised his head as he saw Rarity's giggling reflection on the water.

"What are you laughing at?"

Rarity snickered, "Sorry, but I've never seen anybody drink water like that!"

Drain popped back to the table. "Really?"

"Really!" Rarity produced a picnic basket from under the table. She pulled out two cups and a corked teapot. "This is how we drink it."

"You had them hidden there?" Drain grinned, "Stunning." He looked over the food that Rarity began to set on the table. He fixed his eye on a specific pastry.

"Wildgrass tarts? You eat these here in Equestria?"

"Not really. I had my students ask the unicorn what types of food were special to your culture. So I cooked up the tarts, and this." She took a covered plate from the picnic basket.

Drain uncovered the dish. There were two red lumps sitting in pink liquid.

Drain gaged. "Oh no, I'm sorry!"

"But unicorn said your people love it! What is it called… fief?"

"Beef." Drain covered the plate. "And we don't eat it. She eats it. I don't have the stomach for such things."

Rarity looked into his eyes. "I thought so. The look of them made me sick. Although…" she took one of the pastries, "I think these are great."

Drain took a small bite of another one. "You are a mare of good taste."

A voice interrupted the picnic. "Uh, Rarity, I'm so sorry, but, Trenderhoof is waiting for you at the gate."

Rarity looked up, paniced. "Who?"

The voice came from a rustling bush. "Trenderhoof."

"Fluttershy, is that you?"

The yellow pony stepped foreword. "Yes."

"How long has he been hiding?"

"I don't know…"

Rarity pushed herself away from the table. "Sorry, Prince. It looks like one of my friends needs me to clear him into the castle."

Rarity left.

Drain eyed Fluttershy. "What are you doing?"

Fluttershy stepped on her hair. "I'm looking for animals. Want to come? It would be an honor." She winced as she tumbled over herself.

Drain took a step towards her. He nudged her back up. Drain spotted something on her flank.

"Butterflies? Your mark, I mean."

"Yes. It's supposed to be a symbol of kindness… I guess it fits me."

Drain took a step back.

"Well, do you want to to come? You look like you'd be great with animals! All you need to do is be gentle and kind…"

Drain stuttered. "Please excuse me, but I must decline."

"Please? My other friends hardly ever join me."

Drain sighed as an angry voice called his name. "I think that's Celestia! I'm so sorry."

Celestia was waiting for Drain. "There you are! You left me all alone! I drank my tea all by myself!"

"There are more ponies here, Celestia."

"Well, you should at least tell me when you're going to stray off!"

Celestia's tone ringed in the air as they left the courtyard. Drain tried to reason with her. "Weren't you with Luna?" "Well, I wanted you to come, too!"

"Oh, my," Fluttershy watched from a distance, "I wonder what got into Celestia."

"Jealous, probably." Discord had appeared with a basketful of rabbits.

Fluttershy took one of the rabbits from the basket and set it in front of her. "It's a shame that the prince didn't want to pet these cute rabbits."

Discord had made a leaning chair and sunglasses appear. He called for a cold drink. "Really? I wouldn't trust that guy if I were you."

Fluttershy turned to Discord. "Why not?"

"It's always the quiet ones…"

Fluttershy frowned. "Quiet ones, huh?"

Discord couphed on his drink. "Well, not like you, I mean… whatever."

Next Time on Seasons of Magic:

"Everybody knew whose fault it was. That's why they had to bring her along."

"Breezy gaged among a mess of tears and bruises."

"One special tribe of unicorn hated the rest, though, and left to live alone."


	8. Into the Woods, Part One

Chapter 6

"Into the Woods, Part One"

Everybody knew whose fault it was. That's why they had to bring her along.

Starlit looked out the window. The glowing castle appeared in the distance, surrounded by the gleaming buildings and roads of the Crystal Kingdom.

She looked to the other side. The unicorn was sitting beside her, panting like a dog.

Princess Cadence had requested the assistance of Princess Twilight, but due to her slow recovery, Starlit and the other students were sent instead. Besides Iron and Breezy, a few new members accompanied the usual group. Lance, an orangeish pegasus, was sitting next to Iron. She was one of Rainbow Dash's favorite students. Fluttershy's assistant, a blue-green pony called Trail (his full name was Trail Mix, but he didn't like it very much), sat alone, while Rarity's prized student, Jet Emblem, held the car attendant in conversation. He had his mane groomed earlier that morning. It looked like Drain's.

The students had been assigned to a special mission. Cadence reported that, shortly after Drain and the unicorn had arrived for inspection, their force fields had begun to fade. No matter how much Shining Armor tried, the field would not stabilize.

The princesses had known of a rare stone that was once used to amplify force field magic, and since Rarity's students were all expert jewel hunters, Cadence figured it would only be a matter of time before they were able to get the fields back up.

The reason Twilight was expected to arrive was to present the unicorn to Cadence. She was the prime suspect for the failure, seeing how suspicious she had acted when she arrived.

Starlit sighed. If it weren't for the unicorn, the trip might have been a pleasant vacation. Instead, it was a serious investigation- more work.

The unicorn materialized a fanny pack around her neck.

Starlit rolled her eyes. More work, AND more weird magic.

The unicorn's slow voice rasped against Starlit's ears. "I have something for you."

Starlit's curiosity tingled. She looked towards the fanny pack. The unicorn drew a thin ring. It was a crown. The main piece was made of copper, but it held a red jewel at the center. Despite this, it was rather dull.

"Thank you," Starlit tried to rub off a patch of dirt.

Breezy popped her head in between the two. "What do I get?"

"Puff, how dare-"

A dull, metal necklace floated over to Breezy.

"I'll wear it right now!"

The unicorn nodded. "Wear it right away. You too, Night-lit."

"Starlit," Starlit grumbled as she fixed the cold, metal ring over her head.

"La-ance, Iron, I have something for you." The unicorn pulled out another necklace. This one also seemed to be copper. It had a circular gem on its side.

"One?" Lance snorted at the unicorn.

"Share," the unicorn stretched out the word over a couple seconds.

"We have almost arrived at the Crystal Gate!" the attendant announced. "Please prepare for examination!"

Starlit sighed. "By that, she means that you should put on the muzzle Pinkie Pie gave you."

"No way."

Starlit surged up. "No way!" She snapped towards the unicorn. "This tin wheel you gave me isn't going to soften me up!"

The unicorn nodded.

"Ugh, why you!" She opened her own pack and pulled out a muzzle.

The light faded as the train went under a bridge. Starlit tried to find the unicorn's mouth in the dark.

Breezy started to quiver. "This must be a really long bridge…"

"It's only going to be dark for a little while." Starlit patted the unicorn's nose.

But then she realized it, too.

The train shook.

A light flashed, but not from the windows.

The unicorn's horn began to glow.

"No you don't!"

A light blinded Starlit. The train gave one final jolt.

A loud crack sounded and the car shook once again. Starlit felt the ground give way under her. She tumbled through the air.

Breezy started to cry. Trail was yelling.

Starlit placed her hoofs over her eyes. They burnt.

She struggled to breath.

The motion stopped.

Starlit felt her body crash onto soft soil.

She gasped for breath.

She uncovered her eyes.

She saw the car. The roof was torn open. The rest of the train had disappeared.

The surrounding area frightened her even more. Tall, twisted plants covered the sun with broad leaves. Huge tree trunks split the landscape into blocks. The air was humid and thin.

Starlit searched for her friends. They had all gathered in a circle near the car.

Starlit searched for the unicorn. "Drat!"

"Starlit! You're awake!" Iron's voice caught up to her. "Look, there's a sign written in strange symbols. We've been waiting for you to wake up so you decode it."

Starlit followed Iron to a large banner woven of vines. Starlit sighed. "You must've taken quite a hit. It's in Equestrian."

"No it isn't!"

"Yes, it is."

"Then what does it say?"

Starlit gulped. She read the sign aloud. "Unicorn's Realm. Beware."

Breezy gulped. "Unicorn's Realm? Like in the story book?"

Starlit rubber her head. "Don't be ridiculous, that's a fairy tail."

Lance drew closer to Starlit. "What's a fairy tale?"

"The Unicorn's Realm. The story goes that before Equestria was founded, each tribe lived separately. The unicorns, peasasi, and earth ponies didn't live together. One special tribe of unicorn hated the rest, though, and left to live alone. I don't remember well, apparently they didn't want to rely on the other tribes.

"The point is that they found a lush forest with everything they needed. But everypony wanted what they had, so they cast a spell on the forest so that anyone without the Queen's blessing would get lost in the woods. Forever."

"So it's like Everfree forest?" Trail asked.

"Most scholars believe that the tale talks about Everfree and our ancestor's struggle to colonize it."

"What do the others believe?"

"That it never existed at all." Starlit huffed.

Jet called to the rest. "Well, it's before us now."

Lance nodded. "It's that unicorn... she must've-" a coughing spell interrupted her. "This air… It's hard to breath…"

Iron panted. "You haven't noticed?"

"Here's something else you haven't noticed," Jet pointed to Starlit's crown. "I can detect a strong magic from that crown. Look, on the train it was copper, and now it's gold. And she seems to be able to read the banner, but none of us can. Take it off and look at that banner, Starlit."

It was true. Starlit removed the crown, and suddenly the words on the banner morphed into strange symbols.

"And perhaps even more interesting," continued Jet, "Is that my horn senses the presence of the crystal we need. I felt a faint tug at the crystal empire, but, here, there's a massive signal!"

The group stood still.

"Well, that is why we're here." Lance stepped in front of the group. "Let's move out. Oh, and keep an eye out for bug-eyes. She probably dashed. Probably out of guilt."

Trail murmured as he followed his peers through he tree-trunk gateway, passing under the ominous banner.

The sun beat down upon the ponies. They had reached a clearing where the thick canopy of leaves opened. Panting, the group decided to rest.

Lance tried to regulate her breath. "We'll rest for fifteen minutes, and then we'll forage for food around this area. Jet, how close do you suppose the crystal is?"

Jet panted, "I don't know. The signal is so strong… it's hard to tell."

"That's not a problem. We can handle it."

Breezy swung around the tired ponies. "I don't know why you're so tired! We've only been walking for, like, two hours! I thought you guys would all be stronger than me!"

"It's not that we're not strong," Iron relied, "It's that the air is so thin!"

"Really? I don't think so!"

Lance eyed the necklace. "It's probably that jewel. It controls your breath."

"Makes sense! Now I won't take it off ever!"

Jet sniffed a fruit. He opened his mouth to bite it.

"Wait!" Trail shouted, "You don't know what kind of fruit that is!"

"It's a pear."

"But this is a completely different ecosystem! This pear might have different effects on you."

"Pish posh."

"Really! Haven't you noticed anything weird about this place?"

"You mean the air? It's obviously the altitude of the Crystal Mountains. That is where we are."

"But the sun? We left Equestria hours ago… and it's barely afternoon."

Starlit looked up. He was right. With all the time they had traveled, the sun should have set by now. "But Trail, that would mean…"

"…That the Unicorn's Realm isn't in Equestria. The unicorn brought us to the Sacred Forest."

"'I would not advise you to visit there. It is a much more dangerous place compared to Equestria,'"Jet quoted Prince Drain. Even Lance couldn't help but shiver.

Leaves rustled to one side of the clearing. A strange warble sounded from within the woods.

Lance and Iron took defensive positions. Breezy hid behind Trail.

Two long, slender creatures emerged from the trees. They were each at least twice the size of the ponies. One of the creatures hissed, revealing it's talon-like teeth, whip-like tongue, and steaming drool. They each held what looked like a flat sheet of stone.

The first lizard creature advanced. It snapped its jaws, catching nothing as Lance jumped back right on time. "Attack!" she bellowed, clomping the creature's head with one of her hooves.

Iron tried to kick the other creature, but felt a sharp pain as his legs slammed against the stone.

The first creature continued to snap at Lance. She dodged right and left, landing with precision.

Lance spread her wings and blew a gust of wind at the creature. It turned back, dust covering its eyes. Lance blasted a kick to its abdomen, and continued with another blow. She went for a third, but was blocked by the stone sheet.

The creature opened its eyes, now with a newfound fury, and hacked at Lance with its machete.

Lance screamed in pain. Her thigh was raw and red.

The lizard bit Lance on her injured leg. She shrieked.

Suddenly, a blast of light pummeled the creature to the ground. Jet pranced into the action, shooting an array of blasts at the creature.

Starlit and Breezy rushed to Lance. Starlit wasted no time in preparing a healing spell.

The creature was able to push Jet back with a headbutt. It focused its gaze on Lance just as Starlit cast the spell.

Lance grabbed Breezy.

"What are you doing?" Starlit cried.

"I can't fight… without air…" Breezy trembled as Lance tried to pry off the necklace.

"Lance! She needs it! She's a kid!" Iron called from a distance.

Lance paid no attention. "Hold still, brat!"

"Stop, I'm scared!" Breezy held the necklace around her neck with all her strength.

Lance huffed. She lifted her hoof, and smashed it against Breezy's face.

Starlit tried to pull her away from Breezy, but Lance pushed her away.

Viciously, Lance continued to beat the child. Breezy gaged among a mess of tears and bruises. She didn't even hold her necklace anymore, but Lance was too desperate to notice.

Trail slammed into Lance. She and Breezy pummeled against the ground. "Don't you see? This is probably why the unicorn gave us these charms! To kill ourselves over them!"

Lance shook her head, regaining her bearings. Starlit embraced Breezy.

Trail's voice boomed, "Lance! Help Jet fend off that monster!"

Lance jumped to action. She flapped her wings and sored through the canopy of trees. Like a missile, she returned through the opening. She called out to Jet, marking her prey. Jet moved aside as Lance crashed into the creature, pushing back until its body slammed against a thick tree trunk.

Lance collapsed, shocked by the collision. The creature lay motionless, dead.

Iron tried to hold back his opponent. He called out to Starlit, but she was tending to Breezy. He looked to his side, where Trail and Jet tried to carry Lance's body towards the others.

Iron blocked a blow by hitting the flat side of the machete. The creature gave another blow, and Iron slid backwards. The creature reared its head up like a snake, and quickly uncoiled its neck like a spring, shooting its jaws at Lance.

Lance took a step back. He felt a tug at his foot. Suddenly, he felt himself falling. He had tripped on the dead creature's body.

The fall took Lance out of range, but the creature was already at his feet, readying the finishing strike with the machete.

The blade split through the air. It raced downward like a falling stone.

Suddenly, the machete clamored. It came to a stop.

The jewel in Iron's band had lit up, producing a sort of lightning energy. The blast hardened into a long, golden rod, with an identical jewel on one end. The other end was sharp and pointed- a sword.

Iron opened his eyes. He felt the tug of the weapon as it hovered to his side.

The monster took a step back, startled. The ponies stared, transfixed.

Iron waved his body in an attempt to control the blade. He strained, and the weapon began to move.

Iron smiled. He stood up straight. He cleared his mind.

The sword slashed as Iron advanced at the monster. The creature blocked the blows with ease at first, but as Iron got a hold of the amulet's power, the creature became overwhelmed.

In no time, Iron was swinging and dodging with grace. He gave one strong blow, knocking the machete out of the creature's hands. The monster hissed, running back into the trees.

Iron turned to the rest of the ponies. His sword lit up and drew back into the jewel. "I think we should move on," he panted.


	9. Into the Woods, Part Two

Chapter 7

"Into the Woods, Part Two"

Night fell upon the ponies. A cool breeze refreshed them as they pushed towards the crystal's signal. Along the way, Lance tried to motivate the ponies, yelling orders and commands. Lance had lost some of her honor, though. The ponies simply moved on to move on, trying to find something to distract them from the fact that they would never return home.

The moon peered over the canopy of trees. The brisk breeze turned into a heavy, icy veil. Starlit almost collapsed from stiffness, and she had to lean on Trail for support.

Breezy puffed a cloud of vapor into the wind. "Can we rest now?"  
>"No," Lance answered, "We can't… stop looking…"<p>

Iron sat on the ground. "We're stopping."

Lance turned angrily, but it was no use. The party had fallen to their knees. Starlit began poking her nose through the grass, eventually nibbling at it. Trail began massaging Jet's cramped legs.

"Don't be mad, Lance. I mean, look where we are," Iron looked up to the sky, where the trees once again receded to form a vast window into the stars. "Isn't it beautiful?"

"There's no such thing as beauty." Lance scoffed.

"Then what is Equestria based off, if not beauty?" Jet asked. "Especially the beauty of friendship and generosity, which we all need."

"Beauty alone can't do it. It takes the commitment of loyalty and strength."

"That 'commitment' sure helped Breezy during the fight."

Lance stomped a hoof. She turned away.

The sky danced with lights. They seemed to be formed by a haze or a gas, sifting through the air above the ponies.

The light fog started to settle, dimming as it reached the ground. The party felt a cool surge as the lights passed through them and were absorbed into the ground.

Starlit shivered.

"That's not natural," Trail whispered.

"Nothing is natural here," Jet sniffed the ground. "It might be some sort of dust."

"It's not dust. It's alive."

The ponies didn't pay too much heed to the voice, until they realized that it wasn't any of theirs. Lance swung her head around. "Who said that?"

Thin streaks of light drew up from the ground. The ponies stood up, startled.

"What's happening! Is this a spell?" Breezy crouched up to Starlit.

"Not any of mine." Starlit stared into the ground, which lightened up gradually.

Finally, they heard the same eerie voice. It hung in the air around them.

"Ponies…" it lingered, "Equestrians…"

The streaks began to take form. Four legs, a body…

"… Envoys of Celestia, I assume…"

"Oh, but it's been too long…"

The forms finally settled. The ponies gasped.

Four ghost-like beings had taken shape from the light. Some of them were recognizable; others seemed broken, or scarred.

The lead spirit approached Starlit. "Tell her it's too late… she lied to us."

Starlit barely believed her eyes. "Who are you?"

The ghosts spoke in hushed, anxious tones. "Has it really been so long? So long since the Great Battle? Has Celestia not sent you? Have you net even heard the legends of our time?"

Starlit took a step back. "I've never heard of this place… We don't even know where we are."

The spirit groaned. His face turned sour. "…But… She… She lied to us…"

"Curse the Queen…" another one of the spirits grumbled. "Our memory is forever forgotten!"

Starlit coughed out her words. "What did Celestia tell you?"

"She told us that she would return us through the mirror when we finished our task. We were supposed to steal the Force Crystals of our enemy, to lessen our enemies' defenses… but she never returned! And she plans not on returning! We died so long ago- we were hunted down by beasts and murdered! But worse, in this foreign universe, our spirits cannot be led by Celestia's sun into the afterlife…"

"It's the cursed trees! The Queen and her lust for them… for their magic fruits and properties… yet I wouldn't dare spit on these trees, the trees that hold my blood!"

"Curse the Queens! Curse them both! Curse all three of them! Curse the Four Nobles!"

The leader, now glowing red, began to swell in anger. "Celestia, you never had the ability to replicate the Unicorn's Blessing… and now we're lost here, forever…"

Trail whispered to Starlit. "Is this why the Prince said he wants to restore peace? There was a war here?"

Starlit shrugged. "I think it may have been, although…"

Starlit turned to the ghosts again. "Four Nobles? There are only two queens in Equestria- who are the others?"

"It doesn't matter now… although, something you bear does…"

"What is that?"

"That crown… it glows so fair… I recognize the inscription from a troop we followed into the unicorn settlement…"

The second ghost smiled, "The Unicorn's blessing is upon it."

The leader chuckled. "We could really use your bodies."

The leader swelled into a cloud of dust as he breached into Starlit's body. Her eyes glowed a golden hue, she began to twist and lash about.

Iron and Jet took a hold of her. Starlit's horn began to glow. Which a groan, she began pushing the ghost out of her body.

"Leave me alone!"

The cloud kept pushing into her, but she somehow managed to keep him out.

The spirit scanned the others. Like an arrow, it pierced into Lance. Her eyes also began to glow. Her body lay limp as it jerked from one place to another.

"Got out! Get out!" Lance started to choke. Her voice changed to the spirit's. "I need to push you out of your body! I need to get back to Equestria! I need REVENGE!"

"You'll… never… hurt MY QUEEN!" Lance's eyes began to dim as she made one last effort to claim her body.

"Run!" Jet called to the others as the remaining spirits began to hover around the group.

Iron undid Breezy's bracelet, latching it onto Lance. The breath of fresh air gave her the strength to fight off the possession. She got on her feet and began to follow the group.

The group tried their best to run quickly through the helpless tangle of tree trunks and vines. The clouds didn't have to worry about going around them.

Jet yelled to the rest. "This way!" He galloped through the forest, lighting the way with his horn. His hooves beat upon the ground, splashing the thin layer of water that covered a marshy section of the woods. His horn flashed as it burned a heap of vines in front of him. The other followed close behind.

Jet stopped in the center of the marsh. The others huddled around him.

"Why did you stop?" Trailed panted, but he received no answer.

Jet closed his eyes and bowed his head low.

The spirits glowed through the forest, quickly making way through the woods. In a few seconds, they would be upon them.

Suddenly, Jet raised his horn sharply.

The ground gave a great tug, and a huge, pink crystal surged from underneath the group.

The spirits crashed against the protective barrier of the magic crystal. They circled around it bitterly.

The spirit's clouds began to change color. Their blue hue began a pungent purple color. They leaked into the ground.

The crystal began to fade. It's light became dimmer. The ponies watched in shock as the spirits re-emerged from under the ground, inside the crystal's force field.

"Nice little trick, child. We were well educated in the protective crystals, and we're not going to lose ourselves to our own treasure."

Iron's gallant voice roared over the trees. "Then lose yourselves to ours!" The sword emerged from his jewel. It slashed through the spirit. The ghost returned to it's pony-like form, laying paralyzed on the ground.

The other two spirits trembled. "Traitor! How can an Equestrian wield an Ethereal blade?"

The second spirit was awestruck. "The blade uses the light soul of a Forest Unicorn as it's power source! But you're an Earth Pony!"

The sword moved closer to the spirits. "Leave us alone! Treating your kin like this- you're not worthy to return to harmony!"

The spirits fled. The crystal returned to it's former light. Lance withdrew the sword.

A silence overtook the place.

Lance leaned on Jet. "Well, we found it."

Jet shot a beam to the crystal. It rumbled, and began to shrink.

"Yeah, we found it all right. But how are we going to get back home? Let's face it, we're going to end up like-"

Lance put a hoof to his mouth. She shook her head.

Trail hung his head. "What did they say they needed to get back? The Unicorn's Blessing?"

Iron took his necklace off. "Yeah, they said these things had it. But how is a breathing thing, a, what did they call it, eternal swad, and a reading crown going to do? There's no signs or anything."

Trail looked up. "I have an idea. Starlit, I need your crown."

Starlit handed it to Trail. He placed it over his head.

Trail raised his muzzle to the air, opened his mouth, and yelled, "Somebody! Help us! We're lost and we want to get home!"

The rest of the ponies stared at him awkwardly.

"That's the best you can do?" Jet scoffed.

Trail fumbled with the crown. "Well, I figured, that it might not only translate writing…"

The bushes began to rustle all around the group. Branches snapped, footsteps shook the earth.

"… but maybe speech as well. So, maybe if I asked kindly enough…"

A horde of bizarre creatures popped out of the foliage. There were strange looking rabbits with feathers for ears, and frogs with four eyes. A hummingbird made of metal zoomed overhead while a giant pink ant crawled over Breezy.

"…We'd get some little helpers." Trail put the crown back on his head. "Hey guys. I'm sorry, but we need to get back home. We got here on a train… but that's all we know."

The creatures huddled around them, lifting them up, and began to carry them through the forest.

The sun rose in the air. The dark tones of the night were replaced by vibrant colors.

Starlit looked around, taking in the bright red flowers and diverse plants. Everything was beginning to look beautiful, as if life had finally made its way to this world.

The parade turned and twisted through the forest.

The animals came to a circular wall. The wall was in ruins, and the pavement on the ground was almost completely covered in moss.

"The animals want us to meet someone. They say she can take us home."

Starlit looked up. In dread, she realized who it was.

The unicorn was in the middle of the circle, using a section of the train seats as a throne.


	10. The Beautiful Sunset

**Author's Note**: We have reached the midpoint of our adventure. I've had a lot of fun writing the story- in fact, it's one of the only creative mediums I've been doing for pleasure, being ridden on by homework and stuff.

In an effort to give myself more time to make the final chapters the best they can be, I've decided to place a midpoint filler to lead us into the second half of this story.

So far, we've met mysterious characters, fought for our favorite ponies, questioned alliances, and ventured into mysterious new worlds. We fond out that a war had taken place between the Sacred Forest and Equestria- will the prince finally heal these scars?

I can't believe it's almost over- three more chapters, two fillers, and an epilogue on the life of Prince Drain, and Luna's prophesy for Twilight's future... I hope it's worth the ride! Thanks to everyone who's read the story- I hope you keep enjoying it!

* * *

><p>Midpoint<p>

"The Beautiful Sunset"

Celestia licked the ice cream with all the grace she could muster. Drain watched her taste it and looked down at his own bowl.

The two had reserved a spot in a famous restaurant in Canterlot to celebrate Drain's birthday. Of course, a larger celebration would have been planned if it weren't Drain's request that the day not be noted. Instead, Celestia invited him to a dinner for two.

Most of the food on the table was foreign to the prince. He had a hard time swallowing some of the exaggeratedly sweet dishes, and now he was faced with, believe it or not, a _cold_ dessert.

Celestia giggled. Drain's teeth chattered after taking a bite from the ice cream. He reared his head up, blushing.

A waiter approached the table. "Would you like me to remove the treat, sir?"

Drain shook his head. "No, it's quite savory. I just need to find the correct method for consuming it."

The waiter cleared his throat. "Sir, you need to lick it. Her majesty seems to have started."

"Lick it? Like, lapping water?"

"Lapping? I'm afraid I don't quite understand."

Celestia popped her head in between the two. "I think the prince would benefit from a demonstration, if you don't mind."

The waiter turned red. "Excuse me?"

Celestia nudged Drain's bowl to him.

The waiter shook. "Er, like this, your majesty." He stuck his tongue out and slid it over the treat. "Please pardon my… tongue."

Celestia laughed. "He's all right. Maybe you can bring him a spoon, instead?"

The waiter turned redder still. He quickly left for the utensil.

Drain turned to Celestia. "Why didn't you ask for that in the first place?"

"Just a bit of fun."

"I see." The prince stared into the ice cream. "I'm happy you brought me here."

"I'm happy you came."

Celestia took another lick of her ice cream. Her mane shimmered in the dull, red lights.

Drain stared at her. His eyes gleaned her, adjusting to every detail on her face. He wanted to smile, but his nerves prevented him.

"Celestia, I have a question I'd like to ask you."

"Yes?"

Drain fumbled with his words.

The waiter returned with the spoon. Drain quickly plopped a spoonful of ice cream into his mouth. He gagged at the sugar surplus.

"You sure were anxious to taste that ice cream," Celestia mocked.

Drain swallowed. "It's… delicious."

Celestia turned towards Drain, getting a little closer to him. "Are you happy to be here?" He moved her head towards him.

"I've already expressed my gratitude for the meal."

"Not in this restaurant, Drain."

"Oh, well, Equestria is definitely a special place."

"Here, with me."

An awkward smile split through Drain's face. He composed himself, arranging his complexion. He tried to control his voice. "Why would you ask that?"

"Well, I was just… curious."

"Curious?" Drain faced Celestia.

"I wanted to-" Celestia blushed.

Drain smiled. "To what?"

Celestia recoiled. Drain urged her to reply.

"To… I wanted to see if you would… kiss me."

Drain tilted his head. "Kiss you? I mustn't."

"Why not?"

Drain stirred the dessert in the bowl. "I am here on business."

"Yes, on business of your own. You left your country's business at the castle."

"I did not. That's why I wanted to ask a question."

Celestia took a relaxed pose. "Well, you know what you have to do to have it answered."

Drain sighed. He nodded. Celestia closed her eyes.

The princess shot back when she felt a wet, cold sponge filed against her muzzle.

"You licked me!"

Drain shrugged. "You told me to."

"I told you to _kiss_ me, not _lick_ me!"

Drain's voice was playful. "Well, you've obviously never tangled with a Forest Chevalier."

Celestia smiled. "I'm going to ask your assistant if that's really how it's done. Or else, you owe me one."

The prince chuckled. He tensed up. "Celestia, I've been meaning to ask something of you."

"Anything."

"Celsestia," Drain's throat dried out. "I… had some ideas for making Equestria a better place, uh, for us unicorns."

"Really, how so?"

"We have a form of magic that, well, allows people to levitate certain objects without using horns. I mean, many unicorns are forced into the role of servant because other people can't fend for themselves."

"Good idea," Celestia lapped up some of the melted dessert. "Any other ideas?"

Drain cleared his throat. "Well, the reason I came was to try and amend our countries' attitudes towards each other… and maybe even reconnect."

"Yes."

"Yet, the mirror that used to bridge our planes is sealed. As you know, you're the one who sealed it on this side, and your magic is the only one that can undo the seal."

Celestia shook her head. "No, Drain. I'm not going to make that mistake again."

"Well, not now, I mean, in the future?"

"No." Celestia's charm left her. "Drain, I gathered that you hoped to establish representation and trade, not immigration into my country. That mirror brought me more pain and devastation than you could know. I'm not ready to let the unicorns roam freely as they once did… especially since the many dark things that have happened, I don't think I'll ever run the risk."

A silence passed between them.

Drain nuzzled Celestia. "My country has only brought you pain?"

Celestia smiled again. "Well, it brought me you."

Drain laughed. "Am I painful?"

"Are you?"

Drain's eyes flared. He grinned. "I can be."


	11. Carried Away

Chapter 8

"Carried Away"

Twilight and Luna were relaxing on the castle balcony. It had been a while since they had gotten to talk outside of formal matters. It was a shame, though, since the princess of the night had so many good stories.

Luna had grown so much since Twilight first met her. Not in stature, but in heart. While she was once unapproachable, now Twilight sometimes preferred her company than Celestia's.

A knock on the door interrupted the conversation.

Luna called to the door. "Who is it at such a late hour?"

"It is Drain," the prince's voice said.

Twilight rolled her eyes. Luna nodded. "Come in."

Drain slipped through the door in his usual manner. His pointed hooves barely made a sound. "Fair night, Luna."

"Drain," Luna greeted.

"Prince," Twilight echoed.

"Princess, Gaia. It's nice to see you as well. Don't worry, I just had a small inquiry. Uh, for Luna."

"What is it?"

The prince approached the princesses meekly. "Well, in my studies, I read about Sir Aura, keeper of the Changeling Empire. And of Chrysalis, the Changeling Hive Queen. Many of their kind deeds towards my ancestors are recorded, and I would very much like to meet them, if it can be arranged."

Twilight gasped.

Luna blinked. "Drain, how can I say this… Aura is dead."

"Dead? And Chrysalis?"

"She… she killed him to take Aura's throne… and raise an army against Equestria."

"A changeling army?"

"Yes. It was a hard day for all of us. Chrysalis was defeated in the end, and we have had no problems with the changelings so far."

"What a tale. Did Aura and Chrysalis at least receive an honorable burial?"

Twilight burst. "Chrysalis, an honorable burial! We exiled her, not killed her! And even if we did, she was a lunatic criminal!"

Drain was startled.

Luna interceded. "Drain, Chrysalis harmed Princess Twilight in many personal ways. Please excuse her."

"Excise me for what? As administrator, I've been working hard to keep the borders of the Changeling Hive where they are, and this guy wants to stroll into the place like we've been friends all along?"

The prince took a bow. "Forgive me. I have dwelled in Equestria's history, and Gaia dwells in its present. Although, young one, it may serve you to learn some more of your country's history. Many villains have a second side to them." He turned back to the door. "A shame, that I couldn't see these figures of old. Yet, that is how time functions. Everything has a season, a season of good, a season of evil, and sometimes a season of balance. Most of the time, though, we find ourselves drowning in the rapids of the seasons of magic."

The prince opened the door with his horn. He left.

Starlit couldn't be more disappointed. After all the trouble that her friends and she had been through, the unicorn was greeted with gladness for having "aided in the discovery of even more potent force field crystals than ever expected," and, "endowing the dear students of the princesses with such precious gifts," as Cadence put it. The unicorn had actually managed to look like a hero.

The worst part was having to explain how the ponies had returned to Equestria. Starlit found it embarrassing to say that the unicorn rode them in circles in the ruined train car until they fell asleep, and awoke in the Crystal Station. When people asked her about her adventure, she found that she couldn't say much of anything without making her group sound bad. To save Lance's rank, the group agreed not to talk about the battle with the monsters. Nobody told the truth about the ghosts. Nobody wanted to remember them.

Starlit marched down the hall that led to the administration department. She knocked on the large gate. "Gaia- Twilight, it's me, Starlit."

The door swung open. Twilight showed her head through the frame. "Starlit! I was just about to call you- come in, quick!"

Starlit scooted into the room. She looked around. Maps, books, and other items were scattered on desks. It was strange for the room, which was usually clean and tidy, to be so disorganized.

"Twilight, have you gotten any sleep?"

The princess didn't pay any attention. She flipped through a book. "Chrysalis… Aura, I can't find that name anywhere… Season of magic? What could it mean?"

Starlit took a step closer. "'I'll confess to why I'm here. I have… a suspicion."

Twilight slammed her book shut. She turned to Starlit. Starlit could see the bags under her eyes.

"Yes, I have one, too. A suspicion which I want you to relieve!"

Starlit eyed Twilight. "You mean, investigate? I think that would be a good idea."

"Yes, yes, a great idea. I can't bear to see everybody hovering over and thanking… we have to unmask that…that…"

"…Unicorn!"

"…Drain!"

They spoke at the same time.

"The prince?" Starlit was puzzled. "But, he's so caring. He visited you frequently when you were sick."

"And you still think that… useless unicorn has something planned? She can barely talk! It's that prince! He tried to visit Chrysalis! He's planning something… he needs the changelings…"

"Wait, you mean _Queen_ Chrysalis?"

"Who else?"

Starlit thought to herself. She looked up at her teacher. "What are we going to do?"

"I'm sending you, exclusively, to spy on him. He will be staying at a cottage tonight, not in the castle. You can observe him, his personal self, without fear of being caught by castle staff."

Starlit raised her hoof. "What about the Sun Queen? Should we warn her?"

"No," Twilight paused, "It would be best if she didn't know what we are up to. She and Drain… are getting pretty close. Now, go! I need to catch up on some studying… seasons of magic… every villain has a different face… he's hinting at something!"

Starlit saluted. She headed to the door. Her horn glowed, lifting the gate with ease. Starlit looked back to Twilight tearing herself into scrolls before she closed the door.

A voice made Starlit shiver.

"Ooh, what's this about, ahem, observing Drain's _personal_ self? "

Starlit looked up to see a white unicorn with a luscious, purple mane. Her voice had an elite tone, and her coat shone brightly.

"Pr- Princess Rarity!" Starlit quivered, "What are you doing here?"

"Oh, you know, darling, dropping off these flowers for the department… What _you're_ doing sounds a lot more interesting. A little secret agent, eh?"

Starlit pressed onward, ignoring the princess.

Rarity's hooves clicked behind her. "I don't suppose you can make room for two others on your little mission."

"I regret it, no."

"Oh, of course you do," The princess caught up to Starlit. She called into the halls, "Get out here and stop hiding!"

Fluttershy popped out of the hallway before Starlit. She stopped right in front of her, nose to nose.

"See what I'm saying? We're masters of stealth."

Starlit huffed. She looked to the right. She was finally at the door to her room.

"So, what do you say?" Rarity forced her muzzle into Starlit's face.

"I'll think about it." Starlit snuck through the door, slamming it shut.

Rarity shivered. She couldn't believe she was actually watching Prince Drain, under the protection of an invisibility spell! All that nagging had paid off! Would he think about her? Would he pretend she was there?

Fluttershy watched Rarity with her usual, worried face. "Rarity," she whispered, "Aren't you taking this a bit too seriously? I mean…"

Rarity gasped. "I can't believe it! He's actually wearing the slippers I made him! This is the best day of my life!"

"Oh… well… never mind."

"Never mind what, darling?"

Starlit felt a bead of sweat roll over her head. She had cast an invisibility spell, not a soundproofing spell.

"Well… Isn't Celestia… interested in him?"

"Minor problem, my dear. Such a minor problem."

Starlit put her hoof down. "We're here to watch him, not go gaga over him! And stop shaking like that Rarity, he'll hear us!"

Rarity smiled. "I hope so, darling, I hope so."

Starlit focused herself on the prince. He was reading something, and drinking tea. It was odd, though, because he had said that he wanted to stay the night in the cabin to see the stars and catch his breath… but he didn't seem to plan on going outside. A telescope had been set up for him, but he hadn't even glanced at it.

"Oh, look how his mane waves- eek!"

Both Starlit and Fluttershy shot her a glance.

"What? He's so dreamy!"

Fluttershy hummed, "That doesn't change the fact that he's here to help his country, not to find a mare."

"Well, excuse me if I'm making you jealous, Flutterhshy. It's probably because he refused to pick flowers with you and Discord."

"I'm not-"

Drain's ears perked up. He looked straight the ponies.

Starlit gulped, but she realized that she had heard something, too.

Drain turned off some of the candles in the cottage, making it darker.

Starlit moves closer to a window to see better.

Drain hovered a blanket in the air while he lay down to sleep, scanning left and right.

A sharp squeak landed on Starlit's ears. She turned to the sound. The small door that led to the carriage shed was open. Starlit was certain that it wasn't before. "Princesses, follow me."

Starlit peeked around the door. A shadowy figure seemed to slip under a crack, entering the dim light of the cottage.

"It looks like he's meeting someone," Starlit whispered.

"It better not be another mare!"

"That's the least of our problems…" Starlit remembered what Twilight had told her.

Rarity pushed Fluttershy into the shed as Starlit tried to follow the shade.

She slid into the half-open door that lead into the living room.

She sniffed the air, but there was nothing. He tried to listen for conversation, but could only hear the faint breathing of the sleeping prince.

"Did you see anything?" Fluttershy trembled.

Starlit shook her head.

A light flashed. A crunching sound filled the air.

Fluttershy opened a window and leapt out. The sound of the prince's cry frightened her away.

Starlit surged to the bedroom. An energy beam broke through one of the walls, barely missing her.

Drain crashed through the same wall, landing atop Starlit. A faint red stain grew over his ribs.

Drain caught her with furious eyes. "What are you doing here?" He swung his head away from her as he cast a shielding spell, deflecting another shot.

Drain got up and pranced into the air, dodging another shot and casting three of his own. His hooves landed on the ground, his magic sounding as it struck the walls.

Rarity trembled in fear. She saw Drain standing a few feet in front of her.

Starlit illuminated her horn. She scanned eagerly to see where the shots came from.

Suddenly, three golden shot fired from within the structure. Drain deflected them back into the floor. They crackled, setting fire to the building.

"We have to get out of here!" Drain yelled to Starlit.

His voice betrayed him. A golden shot found its target while he spoke. It blasted into his jawline, sending him to the ground, crashing before Rarity's hooves.

Rarity and Starlit's eyes connected. Starlit nodded. She got back to her feet and shot an arsenal of blasts to the mysterious figure.

A blue aura circled around Rarity and the prince. The air lit up. A shockwave blasted through the house. Rarity had teleported herself and the body away.

Starlit tried to fend off a barrage of shot.

She looked behind her. A yellow hoof beckoned to her from the window.

Starlit leapt for it, catching Fluttershy's hoof. Fluttershy spread her wings into the air and caught the wind of the night.

Rarity opened her eyes. The intensity of the event had strained her.

A click knocked on Rarity's ears. She turned to see what it was.

Rarity found herself in her own home. The purple furnishings were all the same, nothing seemed changed- they were safe.

The click sounded again. Rarity smiled.

The prince had woken up before her. He nibbled on a jelly pastery. "Helped myself," he said.

Rarity rubbed her head. "Quite all right…" She was surprised that Drain seemed so… unharmed. In fact, his ribs and jawline seemed completely healed.

Drain sensed Rarity's curiosity. His horn lit up. An outline of magic covered her. She felt herself lighten as a surge of strength flowed through her.

She gasped.

"Feels good, no?" Drain sipped more tea, "It's a healing spell of sorts."

Rarity tried to smile, not wanting to admit that the effect was short lived. She toppled onto he side of her table.

Drain caught her. "Not a very stable dose, I see. Perhaps you would like me to try another spell, liven you up like me. After all, you did save my life. I owe it to you."

A sparkle fell into Rarity's eye. Drain greeted it with a warm smile.

"Heal me."

Drain inspected the burn marks on Rarity's coat.

"I shall."


	12. The White Devil

Chapter 9

"The White Devil"

Celestia looked down at Starlit's burnt mane and broken hooves. Her horn was scratched, and she was breathing heavily.

Starlit shed a tear whenever Celestia looked at her. Fluttershy had brought her directly to the queen to be healed; she didn't know that Starlit had to keep the secret.

But it was too late now. Starlit knew she couldn't lie to the queen. She told her everything. She told her about Twilight's suspicions. She told Celestia how they planned to expose Drain.

Morning drew close. Celestia entered the room where Starlit lay.

Celestia spoke in her gentle voice. "You're getting better, dear. Oh, but your beautiful mane…"

Starlit tried to move out of the bed she had been laid in. She felt a surge of pain as she moved her neck. Trying to fend off the powerful beams had injured it. Because of this, she could barely move.

Celestia put her horn on Starlit's neck, slightly piercing through her skin. Starlit felt a healing spell swell within her. She fought back tears.

"I know it hurts. I'm sorry Twilight put you up to this."

Starlit opened her eyes. "It's not her fault."

Celestia withdrew her horn. The spell was beginning to take effect.

"If she hadn't sent you there, this would have never happened. Can you move now?"

Starlit got up. She could still feel pain, but it was a lot less intense.

"Starlit, I need you to come to a meeting."

Starlit faced the queen. "A meeting? Is it for the Administration Department?"

"No," Celestia lowered her head to Starlit's level, "It's a meeting for all the princesses."

Starlit shook her head.

"I'm sorry, but I need you there. You're the only one who saw the shooter."

Starlit shook her head. She couldn't resist her fear. She began to cry.

"Child, what's wrong?" Celestia nudged her.

Starlit stepped away. She thought about her teacher.

Starlit was wheeled into a large hall. After having been rescued by Fluttershy, she was brought directly to Celestia to be healed. Of course, Starlit knew she couldn't lie to the queen. She told her everything. Starlit was invited to a meeting to inform the princesses of the news.

The six princesses were gathered around a horseshoe-like table. Luna and Drain were seated at what could be called the head of the table. Celestia was in the center.

"Now that everypony is here, I'd like to begin with the topic of this emergency meeting" Celestia's voice boomed over the room. "Last night, there was an assassination attempt against Prince Drain. We don't know why, but we have an idea of who it was who did it. The suspect showed signs of overwhelming magical abililty. This means we can narrow our search to unicorns. The Administration Department has kept a record of many known political criminals and dissenters. We can start our search there."

The princesses all seemed surprised. Applejack spoke up. "Wait, you're tellin' us that somepony actually tried to kill Drain? Last night?"

"Yes. It's true."

"But, that would mean that someone's trying to mess with the union of our two countries! They must want to stop us before we make any formal arrangements!" Rainbow Dash hovered over her chair.

"That is what I fear."

"Then we can't waste any time! We've got to get on the hunt like a timber wolf lookin' for cattle! Twilight, ya got any leads in them records?"

"Twilight will not be representing the Administration Department in this investigation," Celestia said firmly.

The ponies gasped. Twilight was stunned. "But Celestia, I-"

Celestia directed her gaze onto her.

"But what? You think that we can't possibly function without you? Is that it, Twilight?"

"Princess, no-"

"You think that just because it worked when Cadence got close to your brother, it would work when Drain is getting closer to us? You sent an innocent child to go and spy on him. You proved that you have absolutely no faith in any of us, because you think you're the only one we can trust. And to top it off, you didn't even think enough of us to tell us about your suspicions. Are you really trying to protect us, or are you trying to maintain some sort of status with us? What other secrets are you hiding, Twilight?"

Twiligh's voice shook. "I… I…"

"I'll tell you a secret of mine. Everybody I've ever loved has betrayed me! Even my sister, Luna, wanted to see me dead! I told your students that you were the star I could always count on- but you failed me, Twilight! Now, this young girl, Starlit, risked her life to do your work. She deserves to lead this venture. Not only is she the only one who saw the criminal, but she also exhibits the very traits that made you a princess."

Twilight sobbed. "But… Drain!"

"The prince has done nothing but good, Twilight. He's proposed so many ideas, shown so much care and wisdom to advance this kingdom… and he could have died. I could have lost him. After he came to me from another world…" Celestia's emotion also began to surface.

The prince walked over to Celestia. He comforted her. She leaned against him. "Celestia, do not make yourself weary for my sake."

There was a pause. Twilight got out of her seat. She galloped out of the room.

Starlit ached to leave. Fluttershy noticed. She trotted over to her. "I think it would be best for you to, uh, get a head start on your study?"

Starlit bowed, and snuck out of the room.

Starlit had always known it could be a possibility. That's why she wanted to refer to Twilight by her royal name. She knew that one day, she could be a princess. She knew that it could come to pass, especially when she had been given a special assignment from Celestia herself.

The truth was that she had never considered what it meant. Her admiration for Twilight as a magician had always overcome her admiration for her as a princess, and her zeal to learn magic made politics an afterthought.

Starlit didn't want to be a princess. She thought back to her days as a magic student under the Great and Powerful Trixie. She wanted to return to Ponyville, return to Snips and Snails, and never get lost in the mess she was in. She would often try and get advice from Princess Twilight, but she barely spoke anymore. The one thing she kept repeating was, "I rushed myself… I was so sure…"

Starlit had been searching for clues for weeks, but had found nothing. She had spent days at the ruins of the cabin in vain. She hadn't seen the shooter clearly enough, but she didn't want to admit it. The last thing she wanted was to disappoint Celestia. She also felt bad for the prince, who had been placed in a safety room until she could find the culprit.

She was at the cabin now, trying to study it one last time before it was cleaned up and rebuilt. She went to the wall that had been fired at first, the one the prince fell through.

She paused. Something had been altered. The wall had been picked at, broken. A few boards were missing.

Starlit heard a crack of laughter from behind her. She immediately recognized the voice.

"Discord! Did you scratch apart the wall?"

Discord held a wooden beam from the wall in his hands. He imitated a policeman swinging a nightclub. "It's all part of the investigation, Ma'am."

"Then why are you laughing?"

"No reason." He disappeared and reappeared near the wall.

Starlit approached him. "You found something."

"You could say that."

"Tell me, what did you see?"

Discord chuckled. Starlit's temper began to flex. "Discord! What did you see?"

"It's more in what I _haven't_ seen, dear little Starlit. What I haven't seen, who I haven't seen, and why I haven't seen them."

Discord tossed the beam to Starlit. "That should be a good enough clue for a smart cookie like you," he chanted.

Starlit tried to bat Discord with the beam. He jumped out of the way.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Think about it, Starlit. Don't be like your teacher, always doubting me. Think about what you haven't seen. Something that bothered you for so long, but for some strange reason, hasn't come to wreck your study."

Starlit's mind raced. Her eyes widened.

Drain wandered through the Administration Department. He knew that Twilight was ignoring him.

He took the risk. Twilight heard his voice from within the room. She sat up straight, blowing her uncombed mane from her eyes.

"Prince," she grunted. "What can I do for you."

The prince took a seat next to her. "I came for a more updated map of Manehatten. Celestia and I want to plant more trees there, to make city life more bearable."

Twilight started to get up, but Drain eased her back down with his magic.

"And I also came to ask you, what made you send Starlit to monitor my actions?"

Twilight's voice strained, "I knew that's what you really wanted."

"Twilight, I must know."

Twilight huffed. She downed a mug of coffee. "I thought you were planning to let the changelings against us."

"I see," Drain mused, "That is why you were so upset when I asked about Chrysalis." Drain scooted closer to Twilight. "You know, my assistant knew her."

Twilight's face lit up. "Excuse me?"

"My assistant knew Chrysalis. When she was a child, Chrysalis had a very harsh childhood. Still, despite her youth, she did her best to guide her people. She had many harsh decisions…" Drain took a deep breath. "I was crowned Prince when I was such a small boy. And I haven't made the best decisions. Not many good ones at all."

Twilight slid towards Drain. "I can relate to that. When I was crowned Princess, I felt so worthless."

"I know. I wanted to meet Chrysalis because I figured she could give me advice for when I returned to the Sacred Forest, which I fear will be very soon." Drain started to get up, but he felt Twilight's magic pull him back down.

"Drain, I'm sorry."

"I apologize for Celestia. I am ashamed of her for the shame she cast on you. I fear… I fear her personal love for me is beginning to…"

Drain's breathing thickened. Twilight did what she did best.

She opened a scroll from the pile on her table. Drain turned to it. "This is a drawing of Chrysalis. You can't meet her, but…"

Drain rolled the scroll up. "It may be that I have been seeking wisdom in the incorrect place, Twilight." Drain looked into Twilight's eyes.

Twilight looked up at the prince. "Can I ask a question?"

"I will answer truthfully."

"I find it strange that no other unicorns have come from the Sacred Forest. I thought you wanted to unify the country."

"The Sacred Forest is connected to Equestria by a magic mirror. It isn't operational, though. Legend says that the Sun Queen sealed in on this side so our people could never come in contact with the ponies again."

Twilight frowned. "Then how did you get here?"

Drain smirked. "Well, that indeed is a fine point. A group of wizards, all fine unicorns, were able to open a brief slip through space."

"It took a whole team of wizards?"

"Indeed."

"Then how do you plan to return?"

Drain sighed. "I planned to open the mirror… But Celestia has sworn never to reprise her mistake. My assistant has the power to re-open the slip. She's gone on excursion to the Crystal Empire, or so she says. I'm sure she can teach me the spell when she returns."

Twilight nodded. "So you must be a very accomplished magician yourself."

The prince smiled. "I have a question for you, Princess." He looked into Twilight's eyes. "It is of great interest to me. What circumstance caused Chrysalis to fail in conquering Equestria?"

Starlit couldn't believe her eyes. The guards began to pull the body away. An urgent summon was sent to Drain.

The unicorn's body lay limp and burnt. Patches of furless skin enveloped her, and her horn was bent and splintered. She couldn't heal herself, and she couldn't show herself. She had been hiding in her room, lying in pain, and nobody had thought to look for her.

Starlit followed the guards as they lead the unicorn into the horseshoe hall. Celestia had already taken her place in the center, and some of the princesses were also present.

The unicorn was chained and placed before Celestia. Celestia forced her into a kneeling position.

Drain and Twilight entered the room, Discord close behind them. The room was sealed, and the meeting came to order.

Starlit noticed the princess's uneasiness. They had all been plucked from important tasks to take their place in the emergency meeting.

The doors hatched open, revealing Luna and Cadence. Cadence stared in shock when she saw the unicorn's condition.

Drain, most of all, looked distraught and heavy. His eyes gleamed at the unicorn, holding back an untold anger.

Celestia stomped her hooves. "Drain, Starlit has arrived to a conclusion. Not only does your assistant have the magical potential to cast the spells she did, but physical evidence in the cabin ruins also point to her. For example, a beam of wood with an indent that fits her horn, hoof prints around her size, and a variety of other things. Now, Drain, before we convict her, do you think you have anything to say that would defend your assistant."

Drain looked to the unicorn, his eyes blazing in red fury. "No." He huffed like a bull, "But I do have something to say that would condemn her…" Drain's voice was tense. "I knew it was you, unicorn. I didn't say anything to have mercy on you… but it's too late now." He paused. He raised his head. His voice took a strong, sharp tone. "I care not for your fantasies! I am the rightful ruler of the Sacred Forest! My lineage! My streangth! You said you left to the Crystal Kingdom- but you went to consult death. You told me you wanted to come to help me understand these people's culture and habits… but you came to kill me, and to return and claim my throne! I can only imagine what your brother is doing, at this very moment, in my kingdom… my HOME!"

The unicorn eyed Drain. Her emotionless complexion faced him. It taunted him.

Celestia's hoof beat the creature to the ground. She lifted her with her magic, facing her eye to eye before she began to constrict her.

The unicorn tried to lash out, but was too weak.

None of the ponies could have suspected what Celestia said next. Twilight was astonished. Starlit almost ran.

Celestia spoke in an aggressive tone. Her voice was unfiltered. She roared like the sun. "I was hoping beyond hope that it wasn't you! Your filthy ways haven't been amended in all this time. I took away your beauty and gave you a shrub for a mane!"

Celestia dropped the unicorn. "I ripped your wings from your body! I stole your voice! I cut the connection between your country because of you!"

Celestia's voice reached a climax. "So you think it's your turn to take something from me?" Celestia raised her head. Her pose was mighty. "I hate you!"

Twilight covered her ears. Rarity looked away. Rainbow Dash shuddered.

"You will NEVER return to the Sacred Forest! I sentence you to eternity in prison! You will be frozen forever in the Crystal Caverns!"

The room was silent.

The unicorn's hoof leaned on the ground. She got up. For an instant, her body was shining. Her fur took a brilliant white. Her main was long and pink. It waved in the wind like a stream. Her horn was thin and elegant. She bore a pair of enormous pink wings.

But it was but for a moment. The unicorn had risen. She stood before the queen, as ragged as she had arrived.

Her voice was barely audible. It flickered like a candle in the dark. "Ce-lest-ia. Celestia," her voice was hushed and songlike, "Celestia."

The unicorn bowed. She accepted her punishment. A guard led her out of the room.

Four guards approached Celestia. They didn't bow. "The Queen of the Sacred Forest… was it her? Is that defiled creature she?"

Celestia pushed through them. She followed the other guards, ready to take her role as the executioner.

Celestia bumped into Rarity. "You've been scuttling in and out of Drain's quarters," she said in a cool voice, "I'd suggest we all leave him to his affairs."

Rarity stuttered. Celestia moved on.

Starlit rubbed her eyes. Her gaze lay on the four guards. She looked at their complexions. She recognized them.

Celestia dressed herself. Drain had told her that he had something important to tell her, and that he would meet her at her personal suite.

He removed her crown and royal garment and fitted herself with a light gown that she had picked out from the prince's gifts.

A knock struck the door. Celestia rushed to answer it. She took a deep breath, wore her best smile, and opened the door.

"My darling-"

Twilight's jaw hung open.

The queen blushed. "Twilight… what is it?"

The princess swallowed. "I have the progress report for the Manehattan project." She produced a stack of papers.

"Thank you," Celestia floated the stack into the door.

An awkward silence hovered over them.

"Why aren't you wearing your crown?"

"I was… not expecting company."

Twilight shrugged.

Celestia sensed the scar. She reached out to her.

Twilight turned her head, but kept walking.

Drain crossed between Twilight and Celestia. His silent hooves disguised him.

"Twilight," he greeted, "Thanks for the books. I will catch up on what my research omitted."

"No problem." Twilight turned the corner into the hallway.

Celestia eyed Drain. "You wanted to tell me something… important?"

"Of utmost importance."

Celestia smiled. "What is it?"

"I'm leaving tonight."

"Leaving? Where?"

The prince didn't answer. He turned around.

Celestia stomped her hoof onto his cape. "You can't leave me."

Drain closed his eyes. "My personal assistant tried to assassinate me. She was… a mentor to me." He paused. "I can still use the slip she created at the rail line, but it must be tonight."

"She's encased in a crystal, Drain. She can't do anything to you anymore."

"But her brother can. Celestia, you must remember that I have a country of my own. Who knows what revolt may be taking place? I can't let anything happen."

"But… your projects? What about those?"

"The Administration Department will secure their future." Drain nudged his cape out from under Celestia's hoof.

"But… what about me?"

Drain looked at her. "You? You have so much aid, Celestia. I came to see if the portal was ready to be opened… and I have seen that it isn't. As for you… look at you. No crown. No necklace. The gown I brought is upon you. You have to hold on to yourself, not to me."

Celestia began to tear up. "Will you at least return?"

The prince shook his head. "No."

"Please! At least once!"

"I'll think-"

"Don't think! Just say you'll return."

The prince was silent. "I will return to see you raise the sun. Other than that, I make no guarantees."

Drain left Celestia behind.

Twilight watched from the corner.


	13. Parents

Parents

"Haven't seen you in a while," Iron taunted Starlit.

"Maybe that's a good thing," Starlit shot back.

Breezy swung past the two of them. "You're so cranky today! Are you nervous for the parent-teacher meeting?"

Starlit sighed. She looked at the banners hung around the hall. Each bore a picture of a pony with a mother and a father.

Each department was assigned an entry time for parents of different classes. All the other parents had already arrived.

Lance approached Iron. Her mother, Spitfire, was at her side. Iron saluted her.

"Ironhooves," She replied, "Looks like your mother isn't here yet. Do you want to hang out with us for a while? Lance has been telling me these fantastic stories, and I'd like to know what's fact and fiction."

"No thanks, Ma'am. I'll wait here with my class."

Starlit heard a familiar voice from afar. She galloped to the entrance.

"Mom! Dad!"

A male earth pony and a unicorn mare stood at the doorway. Starlit's mother stood aside as her father rushed to embrace her.

"Starlit, it's been so long. I'm sorry I wasn't able to come the last two meetings."

"It doesn't matter! I've missed you so much!"

A servant stepped over to the group. "Greetings, Mr…"

"Green."

"Mr. Green. May I take your coat?"

Starlit's father has wearing a thick, brown cape, even though it was the middle of spring.

"No, thanks. I'd rather keep it on."

Starlit giggled. "You never change, huh."

"Nope." The family started walking past the entrance.

"Mr. Green? What happened to Mr. Brown?" Starlit whispered.

"My fir is brown. It's far too obvious."

"Makes more sense than Green."

Starlit's father stopped in front of Iron. "Hello, son."

"Mr. Brown! Nice to see you."

"Nice to see you too, Iron. Hasn't your mother arrived?"

Iron sighed. "No."

The stallion put a hoof on Iron's shoulder. "Come, spend the day with us."

Iron stepped away. "Sheesh, I'm fine. She hates me, anyways. She's probably lying about being sick in those letters."

"That's no way to speak about your mother, Iron. She's a beautiful pony. Come on, let's take a walk."

Iron joined the family as they trotted over to a balcony. The sun shone brightly over them.

Starlit's mother burst out and laughed.

"What is it?" Starlit asked.

"Sorry. Your father and Iron look so alike- sandy coat, a dark brown mane- what a coincidence."

"That's why we should treat him like family," the stallion replied.

Starlit giggled. She'd noticed before, of course.

Starlit felt bad for Iron. He had told Twilight his story, and Starlit was at her side.

Iron's father abandoned his family. His wife and he were both unicorns. His father, though, was obsessed with having a unicorn son. He himself was a powerful magician, and he wanted to pass on his power.

Eventually, he tried to teach Iron how to use magic through potions and amulets, but without a horn, he reservoir of magic was very limited. He would often lose patience, beating the poor boy senseless and calling him terrible things.

Iron had had enough. He left home, using his skills in alchemy to produce a variety of substances for Canterlot gangs.

Tides changed when Iron found himself alone and unwanted. He no longer had a source of potion ingredients- he was worthless. In desperation, he set himself upon theft. He tried to plunder a random carriage, not knowing that it was Princess Twilight's humble vehicle.

That, of course, is how he had been chosen to live in the castle. Starlit often felt that his story was far more noble than her own, although she couldn't imagine him on the streets.

Iron cringed. On the other side of the balcony was General Rainbow Dash. She was yelling loud enough for the world to hear.

"Drama school in the Crystal Kingdom!? I can't even believe… You haven't even finished Wonderbolt training! You've been booted from three camps and you still think you deserve to-"

Soarin, a Pegasus, interrupted her. "Dear, she told me about this a while ago and-"

"And what? How did you wait until today to tell me this, Lightning?"

Lightning was Rainbow Dash's daughter. It was easy to forget that Dash was married, especially since her family lived far away in Cloudsdale.

Their argument went on. Iron's face sickened. Starlit's father led them away from the scene.

Wherever Starlit looked, there seemed to be tension. Jet's mother, Fleur Dis Lee, looked disapprovingly at Princess Rarity, his teacher. They never got along well. Trail Mix sloped over as his parents complained to Fluttershy, claiming that their son needed extra care and nourishment besides what was provided at the castle.

Sometimes, it seemed to Starlit that her relationship with her father was the only normal one amidst the students. Starlit held a special connection with her father. He encouraged her on her quest to learn magic, giving her hope across every turn. Starlit was one of the only ponies that had seen his cutie mark, as well as knew his full name. The secrets were kept from even the closest of kin.

Starlit loved her father's mark. She often wished it were her own. It was so simple and elegant, a shape that spoke volumes to Starlit Hour.

"Have you met the Prince? I hear he left a while ago, too bad I couldn't meet him."

"I met him," Starlit answered her father.

"What was he like?"

"He reminded me a lot… a lot of you."

Celestia stood in front of the mirror. It was large and blue, oval shaped, and inscribed with ancient runes. On the bottom half of the frame, the runes were translated. "The Unicorn's Realm."

The inhabitants had their own name for their homeland, though. They called it "The Sacred Forest."

Celestia hated that name. Especially when she thought about what had happened there. There was nothing sacred about that.

Celestia's face crumbled into anger. She remembered how the ancient unicorn tribe, led by Princess Platinum, almost left Equestria for good. She remembered how many people had died during a dispute between the nations; thousands of Equestrian stallions lay buried in the soil. She remembered the student who betrayed her, all for this mirror.

Her horn charged with power. She was ready to destroy it. She was ready to end the pain.

But then she remembered what the forest had brought her. She remembered Drain. She studied his mannerisms, his innocence. The Forest Unicorns may seem uncivilized by Equestrian standards, but Drain made up for all of them with his simple charm and elegance.

Celestia's horn stopped glowing. She looked into the mirror, tracing the image of the dull, eerie marshlands on the other side.

She could almost see Drain looking at her from the other side. She couldn't destroy it. How could she? She had finally found a reason. She finally understood.

The forest was sacred to her.


End file.
